A bloom of Amphidinium carterae in Ria de Aveiro, Portugal Fig. 1. Ria de Aveiro and oyster farm location. Amphydinium carterae is a benthic unarmored cosmopolitan dinoflagellate classed as a fish killer due to its capacity to produce hemolytic compounds such as amphidinols [1] and polyhydroxyl carteraol E [2]. This species can be found in shallow and sheltered waters in intertidal or estuarine marine sandy sediments, from tropical, subtropical and temperate ecosystems [3,4]. Between March 24th to March 29th 2016, a bloom of Amphidinium carterae was detected in an oyster farm (area of 6 ha, water column of 30-60 cm depth with oyster production of 2kg m-2) in Ria de Aveiro (Fig 1). Dinoflagellate cell densities reached 5.4 x 106 cells L-1 and oysters suffered significant weight loss. Ria de Aveiro is the largest Portuguese tidal coastal lagoon, extending 45km N-S and about 10 km E-W, between the Aveiro city and the Atlantic Ocean. It has a single connection with the sea and has inputs from two main rivers and several smaller streams [5]. This aquatic system had ancient salt flats that were converted to fish and shellfish farms with tidally regulated water inflow. In this coastal lagoon, aquaculture has a great social and economic importance [6]. The Amphidinium bloom was recorded within the shellfish pond and decreased towards the main branch of the Ria. Within the pond, the water presented a brown-reddish color, was cold (12.4-12.9 oC), brackish (20.9-28) and slightly basic (pH of 8.0-8.4). The most abundant accompanying species were 6 Cylindrotheca closterium (7.6 x105 cells L-1), Amphyprora sp. (5.4 x105 cells L-1) and Prorocentrum minimum (9.8 x 103 cells L-1). On the day before the sudden increase of cells in the water, the total radiation increased significantly, from 3505 to 19560 Kj m-2. Values remained that high until the maximum of Amphi- dinium developed and these high light levels may have triggered the bloom [7] Amphidinim carterae was morphologically identified by inverted microscopy (Leica DMI 8) at 400/200x magnification, in natural and in Lugols preserved samples (Fig. 2A, B). Cell dimensions (n=21) averaged 17μm in length(15.0-20.0 μm) and 10.4 μm in width (10.0-12.5 μm), within the range defined for the species [8]. Amphidinim was isolated and cultured for molecular identification based on the Large Ribosomal Subunit (28S) with the primers pair D1R/D3Ca [9]. In a Blast search, our sequences showed 99% similarity with 100% cover and E-value of zero compared to the Genbank sequence JQ394805.1. Although the presence of the species is expected to be among those listed in the National HAB monitoring plan, the last reported occurrence of A. carterae in Portuguese estuarine waters dates back to 1985 [10]. This event reinforces the need to monitor the species occurrence and the associated environmental conditions in estuarine systems to forecast blooms and minimize socialeconomic impacts. References 1 Echigoya R et al 2005. Harmful Algae 4: 383389 2 Huang SJ et al 2009. Tetrahedron Lett 50: 25122515 3 Murray S & DJ Patterson 2002. Eur J Phycol 37: 279298 4 Hoppenrath M 2000. Phycologia 39: 482497 5 Dias JM et al 1999. Oceanol Acta 22: 473485 6 Neto G. 2011. Master thesis, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, 77 pp 7 Álvarez E et al 2009. J Plankton Res 31: 601617 8 Hulbert EM 1957. Biol Bull 112: 196219 9 Scholin CA & DM Anderson 1996. In: Yasumoto T et al (eds) Harmful and Toxic Algal Blooms (IOCc of UNESCO) pp 451454 10 Sampayo MAM 1985. Anderson DM et al (eds) Toxic Dinoflagellates (Elsevier New York) pp 125130 Fig. 2. (A) Amphidinium carterae cell (image taken with an LM Leica DMI 8 with 400x magnification). (B) Sample from Amphidinium carterae bloom (image taken with an LM Leica DMI 8 with 200x magnification). Authors MaAna Castelo-Branco, Teresa PereiraCoutinho, Teresa Quental, Lia Godinho, Bárbara Frazão & Alexandra Silva, Phytoplankton Laboratory, Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA, I.P.), Rua Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, 6, 1495-006, Lisbon, Portugal E-mail amsilva@ipma.pt HARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 57 / 2017 Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 57 - June 2017 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Unusual fish killing blooms of Tripos furca in Van Phong Bay, South Viet Nam In the beginning of November 2016, a phytoplankton bloom was observed by fisherman in Van Phong Bay, Viet Nam Fig. 2. Chl-a distribution in coastal waters of Khanh Hoa province during 14th October to 25th November 2016 (sources: MODIS-Aqua Level 2 images, NASA). Clear skies were observed on 14th October, and 11th, 13th, 15th, 22nd, 25th November, while the other days were very cloudy. High chl-a concentrati vung-sim-2461816/ 3. Nguyen VN et al 2014. In: Kim HG et al (eds) Harmful Algae 2012. Proc15th ICHA (ISSHA) pp 48-51 4. Hodgkiss IJ & Lu S 2004. In: Asian Pacific Phycology in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges, pp 215-229 5. Machida M et al 1999. Nippon Suisan Gakk 65: 755756 6. Mat Mortality of Chilean farmed salmon in wellboats in transit through a Karenia bloom Fig. 1. Geographic distribution of the stations sampled near the Gulf of Penas, Chile, between 31st January and 1st February 2017. A mass mortality of around 170,000 salmon, worth US$ 390,000, was recorded on wellbo Fig. 3. Density (cells L-1) of Karenia spp. in water samples of the vicinity of the Gulf of Penas. nels, composed mainly of diatoms. Most Karenia (ex Gymnodinum) species produce toxins that can kill fish and other marine organisms when they bloom. In addition to toxicity, some Karenia blooms cause A bloom of Amphidinium carterae in Ria de Aveiro, Portugal Fig. 1. Ria de Aveiro and oyster farm location. Amphydinium carterae is a benthic unarmored cosmopolitan dinoflagellate classed as a fish killer due to its capacity to produce hemolytic compounds such as amphidinols [1] and polyhydroxyl car Harmful dinoflagellates in the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria, West Africa Fig. 1. Coastal map of Nigeria showing the study area. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are worldwide phenomena [1]. The increasing spread, frequency and severity of harmful algal incidents have been well documented and have led to the ble are toxic harmful dinoflagellates that produce a suite of toxins, including Alexandrium catenella and Gymnodinium catenatum (saxitoxins), Dinophysis caudata (okadaic acid congeners), and benthic HAB (Ostreopsis cf ovata, palytoxins, and Prorocentrum lima, okadaic acid). These toxins can directly Satellite detection of Trichodesmium blooms in the Southwestern Pacific and the Tonga trench [2]. This area coincides with high nitrogen fixation rates [3]. There are numerous correlations between the observations of surface mats in the ocean and high reflectance In the oceans, a large portion of t Fig. 2a) MODIS image of the Trichodesmium bloom with white and green mats between Vanuatu Islands and New Caledonia in December 2014; with Landsat 8 zooms on mats superimposed and the microscopic observation of Trichodesmium colonies in surface samples at the SPOT station visited with R/V Alis; b) P Plankton Planet in New Zealand Plankton Planet is the first citizen science programme designed for biological oceanography. It is a co-operation between scientists and volunteers from the sailing community based on mass sequencing of DNA barcodes from the extracts of plankton communities collected w Molluscan Shellfish Safety Conference in Ireland Over 230 international delegates from 27 countries participated in the 11th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety (ICMSS) from Sunday 14 to Thursday 18 May 2017 at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Convened by Irelands Marin 13th Session of the Intergovernmemntal Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms (IPHAB) This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms (IPHAB) established under the auspices of IOC of UNESCO. Over that period IPHAB has provided the international framework for region Forthcoming events will be held at the 10 Indo-Pacific Fish Conference (10 IPFC ), 2-6 October 2017, Tahiti, French Polynesia (https:// ipfc10.criobe.pf/). Organizers: Mireille Chinain, Susanna Piovano, Jean Turquet, Marie-Yasmine Dechraoui-Bottein (mchinain@ilm.pf; susanna.piovano@usp.ac.fj; Turque Scientific Committee Topics: Advances in the analysis of existing and emerging marine and freshwater toxins. Ann Abraham, FDA, US Mass spectrometry, molecular methods, toxicity assays, bioassays and screening tests. Arjen Gerssen, WUR, NL Structural characterization of new potential toxins. Ja the 18th international conference on harmful algae from ecosystems to socio-ecosystems SAVE the date! FATMA GUELLATI/UPMC-UNIV BADJI MOKHTAR Minyvel Environnement/Phenomer Nicolas Chomérat/IFREmer Véronique Séchet/IFREmer Olivier BARBAROUX/IFREmer Stéphane LESBATS/IFREmer Olivier DUG Ted Smayda in Memoriam 10 April 2017 This year the HAB and research community lost another giant intellect. Professor Theodore J. Smayda, (Ted as he preferred to be called) passed away after a period of illness. A graduate of the Braarud School of phytoplankton ecology of Oslo, Norway, Ted held uniq IV INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM, June 4-8, Washington DC Organized by ICES, PICES, IOC and NOAA Fisheries The 4th International Symposium will bring together experts from around the world to better understand climate impacts on ocean ecosystems and how to respond. The Symposium will Highlight the latest