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 establishment of harmful algal monitoring programs in coastal states in developed countries around the world. This is not the case in several West African countries, including Nigeria, for a variety of reasons. These include a lack of awareness of HABs and the threats they pose, funding difficulties and others. Several coastal communities in Nigeria depend heavily on seafood for their nutritional and economic subsistence and as such will be directly affected by the health, economic and ecosystem disruption impacts caused by HABs. This report is based on quarterly HAB surveys of the Nigerian coast situated in the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem, in the Gulf of Guinea which span eight coastal states in the south (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta and Rivers states) and south west (Badagry, Bar Beach, Lekki, Ogun and Ondo states) of Nigeria (Fig. 1). The country coastline, between latitude 4o10- 6o20 N and longitude 2o45 - 8o35 E, is approximately 853 km long. It is composed of four distinct geomorphological units, namely: the Barrier-Lagoon complex; the Mud coast; the Arcuate Niger Delta; and the HARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 57 / 2017 Strand coast [2]. This study marks the first extensive study on HABs in the entire coast of Nigeria. Prior studies [3,4] were based on small spatio-temporal scale data collection. Sampling was carried out from March 2014 to January 2015; samples were collected with a 10-μm mesh size net and a known volume of water sedimented for qualitative and quantitative analyses respectively. Harmful dinoflagellates were quantified following the drop count method described by Lackey [5]. Net samples were analysed using an OLYMPUS optical binocular microscope (CX40RF200) fitted with an AMSCOPE digital imager (Model no: MU1403). Two hundred and twelve phytoplankton samples from 54 locations collected during each quarterly sampling, were analysed for quantitative and qualitative assessment. From these, a total of 74 dinoflagellates taxa were documented. Cell concentrations were found to be generally higher in the southwest locations (Fig. 2a), with total cell concentrations ranging between 13 and 811 x 103 L-1 compared to the south locations (Fig. 2b) where total cell concentrations ranged between 13 and 351 x 103 L-1. We found that the major contributors to the total cell counts in the south were high densities of species of the genera Alexandrium (352 x 103 L-1), Prorocentrum (195 x103 L-1), Protoperidinium (159 x 103 L-1) and Tripos (=Ceratium) (117 x 103 L-1) in July. In the southwest locations, the major contributors varied depending on the sampling season. For instance Prorocentrum spp. (754 x 103L-1), Scrippsiella sp. (702 x 103 L-1), Tripos spp. (455 x 103L-1) and Protoperidinium spp. (312 x 103 L-1) were most abundant in March; Alexandrium spp. (546 x 103 L-1) and Fig. 2a-b. Total density of harmful dinoflagellates in the south-west and southern coastal locations of Nigeria. 7 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