Massive fish mortality in Teluk Bahang, Penang, Malaysia caused by a hypoxia-inducing algal bloom Fish kill events due to algal blooms have been increased dramatically over the past decades. Several massive fish kill events have been reported in Malaysia [1-5]. Among the incidents reported, some are caused by toxins (ichthyotoxic, hemolytic, cytotoxic) released by harmful microalgae while others are due to high biomass blooms leading to dissolved oxygen depletion (hypoxia and anoxia)[1-5]. On August 11, 2019, a massive fish kill event was reported in Teluk Bahang, Penang, Malaysia (Fig. 1a). The local farmers claimed losses of over 50 tons of caged fish, with an estimated worth of USD 190,000 (Fig. 1b). Abnormal fish behaviors were observed by the fish farmers, as they noticed the caged fish jumped aggressively the night before the fish kill event occurred. A rapid response field sampling study was conducted in the area (August 13-14, 2019) to investigate the cause of this fish kill event. Water samples were collected from four stations, St1 (near the river mouth), St2 (fish cage area 0.5 km away from shoreline), St3 (2.1 km away from shoreline), and St4 (4.3 km away from shoreline) (Fig. 2). Water temperatures ranged from 30.1 30.7 C, salinity from 30.8 31.6, while pH was relatively low, in the range of 7.42 7.69. Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the water column were depleted; the lowest DO levels were observed at St 2 (fish cage area), with surface values as low as 2.47 mg/L, and 0.94 mg/L at the bottom (4 m depth) (Fig. 2b). These values were much lower than the recommended minimum DO requirement for tropical marine fish, i.e. 5 mg/L (75% saturation). A 24-h monitoring of DO levels revealed that surface (~1 m) values dropped drastically at night from ~8 mg/L to 1.93 mg/L, but rose steadily in the morning. Hypoxia occurs and conditions become unsuitable for any mariculture activity when dissolved oxygen levels fall below 2 mg/L [6]. Macronutrient concentrations at Fig. 1. (a) Map of Peninsular Malaysia showing the location of Teluk Bahang, Penang. (b) Fish kill phenomenon in a fish farm at Teluk Bahang (photo credit to [5]). the study sites were determined spectrophotometrically. The highest nitrate and silicate concentrations, 25 μM and 21 μM, respectively, were observed at St2. The Chl-a (53.6 μg/L) maximum was also observed at this station. Microscopic phytoplankton analysis showed a high abundance of Proboscia sp., Rhizosolenia sp., Chaetoceros spp., Guinardia sp., Coscinodiscus spp., and Leptocylindrus sp. Coscinodiscus sp. was the dominant genus in all stations, with a maximum of 2.5 104 cells/L (Fig. 2c). Fish-killing dinoflagellates and raphidophytes were not observed at the samples. Most likely, excessive nutrient levels were one of the drivers inducing massive phytoplankton blooms in this area. The bloom-induced hypoxia reported here had a severe negative impact on the local aquaculture. References 1. Lim PT et al 2012. Sains Malaysiana 41: 5091515 2. Lim HC et al 2014. Harmful Algae 40: 51-62 3. Teng ST et a. 2016. HAN 52: 5 4. Anton A et al 2008. Harmful Algae 7: 331-336 5. Shah MF Star Online 2019. https://www.thestar.com.my/ news/nation/2019/09/08/ dead-fish-incident-johor-fisheriesdept-says-stagnant-water-must-betreated-first-before-being-released. 6. Diaz RJ. & DL Breitburg 2009. Academic Press. p. 1-23 Authors Kieng Soon Hii, Zhen Fei Lim, Li Keat Lee, Suh Nih Tan, Aini Hannani Naqiah Abdul Manaff, Po Teen Lim & Chui Pin Leaw, Bachok Marine Research Station, Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, Bachok, 13610 Kelantan, Malaysia Corresponding authors: cpleaw@um.edu.my, ptlim@um.edu.my Fig. 2. (a) Sampling stations. (b) Dissolved oxygen levels (mg/L) in the study site. (c) Light micrograph of Coscinodiscus sp., scale bar = 20 μM. HARMFUL ALGAE NEWS NO. 63 / 2019 5 Harmful Algae News An IOC Newsletter on Toxic Algae and Algal Blooms No. 63 - December 2019 www.ioc-unesco.org/hab Harmful Algal Blooms in a Changing Climate In September 2019 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) approved and accepted the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere New Initiative on Fish-Killing Algal Blooms An Advanced International Colloquium and Technical Workshop on Fish-Killing HABs under the auspices of IOC-IPHAB and GlobalHAB, and with the support of the government of Chile through CORFO and collaboration of CREAN-IFOP, was held in Puerto Varas, Chile, IOC-SCOR GlobalHAB Workshop: Evaluating, Reducing and Mitigating the Cost of Harmful Algal Blooms: a Compendium of Case Studies Over the last two decades, several reports have compiled what is known about the economic impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs) [1-4]. Although these reports attempted to Several examples of HAB-related losses and loss mitigation were discussed at the workshop in detail. A HAB incident in northern Norway alone resulted in the loss of 14 thousand tons of Atlantic salmon in May 2019, resulting in a total loss of at least 330 million USD, including insured losses of 45 Massive fish mortality in Teluk Bahang, Penang, Malaysia caused by a hypoxia-inducing algal bloom Fish kill events due to algal blooms have been increased dramatically over the past decades. Several massive fish kill events have been reported in Malaysia [1-5]. Among the incidents reported, some are Blooms of the potentially harmful raphidophyte Chattonella antiqua and the occurrence of the epiphytic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata in the coastal waters of Alexandria, Egypt coastal marine areas. Blooms of this genus are usually accompanied by goldenbrown seawater discoloration due to their Table 1. Seawater physical and chemical parameters during the summer 2019 Chattonella bloom mg O2/L Nutrient concentration μM C Salinit y pH DO COD PO4 SiO4 NO2 NO3 NH4 35.00 17.8 8.64 6.3 22.5 13.35 58 12.6 20.6 45.2 TN SiO4 PO4 Table 2. Physical and chemical properties of First records of Gambierdiscus excentricus and Ostreopsis lenticularis in the Cape Verde Archipelago (Macaronesia, Central Eastern Atlanctic) Fig. 1. Map of Cape Verde archipelago (Macaronesia Region). Harmful algal blooms (HAB) species frequently recorded in tropical latitudes are apparently incr Fig. 3. Gambierdiscus excentricus. Scanning electron micrographs, apical and ventral views mostly on the left side of the cell. The second apical plate (2) was narrow and elongated, and located below the APC, extending dorsally to the Po plate, and reaching about the mid-position of the 3 plate. Pl Microcystis bloom in Saladito river, central-southern Cuba Fig. 1. Map showing the cyanobacterial bloom area in Saladito River, central-southern Cuba. Water blooms or simply blooms in freshwater reservoirs are mass accumulations of planktonic microalgae or cyanobacteria. Water blooms (Wasserblüte) the center of the colony; a few solitary cells may appear in the mucilage. In our populations the typical solitary cells in mucilage were not observed, neither the concentrically lamellated margins. It is possible that the Cuban specimens could be identified as M. panniformis or M. novacekii, but fu Citizen Science Oceanography in the Strait of Georgia, Canada an overview of five years of operations The Citizen Science Oceanography Program for the coastal waters of British Columbia (BC), Canada was proposed by Dr. Eddy Carmack, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Carmack envisioned a mosquito f harm (e.g. fish kills, shellfish poisoning) at very low concentrations. In the latter case, they are still called blooms because of their effects. These types of blooms can be invisible to the naked eye and only in-situ sampling can detect them. During five years of observations, the heaviest blooms Multicoloured algal blooms in the NW Adriatic during 2018 The northern Adriatic is characterized by shallow waters (mean depth about 35 m), a weak bathymetric gradient along the main axis and a high riverine input on the western side, affecting both the circulation regime and the trophic status. As Fig. 4. A bloom of an unidentified gymnodinioid caused a brown-greenish discoloration. Fig. 6. Ostreopsis cf. ovata bloom causing bleaching of macroalgal thalli. Fig. 5. Green colored waters from a mixed bloom of diatoms and Prorocentrum cordatum. Fig. 7. Field sample showing Takayama tasmanica a A bloom of Prorocentrum triestinum in the Hossegor Marine Lake (France) Phytoplankton communities in the Hossegor marine lake (Southern French Atlantic coast, Fig. 1) have been monthly monitored since 1997 to protect human health (REPHY network: monitoring of toxin producing species which may contam The ICES Annual Science Conference 2019 The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) annual science conference took place in Gothenburg, Sweden, 9-12th Sept 2019 with 738 participants from 38 countries attending. The conference opened with a lively panel discussion around sustaina 11th Irish Shellfish Safety Workshop At the 11th Shellfish Safety Workshop held in the Radisson Blu Hotel Athlone, Ireland, Joe Silke, Director of Marine Environment and Food Safety Services at the Marine Institute said, Irelands Shellfish Safety Monitoring Programme ensures that shellfish placed on Fig. 2. Oyster Farm. Photo courtesy of Fionn OFearghail, Marine Institute Marine Institute The Marine Institute is the state agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation in Ireland. The Marine Institute provides government, public agencies and the maritime industry The 33rd annual meeting of the Australasian Society for Phycology and Aquatic Botany (ASPAB) The 33rd annual ASPAB meeting was held at NIWAs Greta Point site in Wellington, New Zealand on 11-13 November 2019. This year most presentations were on macroalgae although in the past microalgae and HABs ha Forthcoming events Call for abstracts - ICHA 2020 The Organizing Committee is pleased to announce the call for abstracts and pre-registration for the 19th International Conference on Harmful Algal Blooms to be held from the 11th to the 16th of October 2020 in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. La 12th International Conference on Modern and Fossil Dinoflagellates The Canarian HABs Observatory (OCH) hosts the 12th edition of the International Conference on Modern and Fossil Dinoflagellates (DINO12), to be held from 13th to 17th July 2020 at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Canteras beach, L