HAB Bulletin [status of harmful and toxic algae]

Week runs from Sunday to Saturday

Ireland: Predictions

ASP event: Moderate to low on all shores.

AZP event: Low ,precautionary.

DSP event: Highest SW, High all areas - rising.PSP event: Moderate to High, site specific .

ASP: Moderate Eastern areas, low elsewhere. Pattern would indicate moderate caution advised within the next week in case of sudden changes from low to high related to environmental condition. Low to moderate caution in all other areas.

AZP: Continued negligible levels of toxins present in samples tested ,with a 2 week marginal decrease in levels and spread of potential cells. This species has caused sudden acute issues in the past and rarely presents any reliable trends.

DSP: No change - Continued upward seasonal trend and favourable conditions expected . Highest SW and WSW, now experiencing closures as indicated, and increasing to high throughout all coastline. Increase in preparedness and continuance of good sampling recommended through out this seasonal transitional period.

PSP: 3 week trend of suitable environmental conditions with current warm calm weather. Normally very site specific. Alexandrium cells can occur in both toxic and nontoxic forms, and while currently toxin levels remain negligible, this could change rapidly.

Blooms: High : ( Caution increasing – please see additional information section for news).Both beneficial and detrimental blooms may occur in areas of good growth and suitable environmental conditions. Transient wind driven blooms of some species may temporarily accumulate on shores. Any unusual water discoloration should always be noted and regional labs contacted if concerned /regarding possible need for additional sampling. All feedback is welcome at Joe.Silke@Marine.ie

NMP Current closures

ASP AZP DSP PSP

0 0 5 0

Week 24: June 7th – 13th 2020

HAB Bulletin [status of harmful and toxic algae]

National Monitoring ProgrammeHISTORIC TRENDS

ASP events: mid-March to early May

AZP events: April to December

DSP events: May to December

PSP events: June to mid-July and end September. Predominantly in Cork Harbour.

AZP

DSP

PTX

ASP

PSP

Levels from week 1 to present week. Regulatory limit - - - - - - -

DSP and Dinophysis sp. current trends

Ireland HAB & Biotoxin Distribution maps

[current status of harmful and toxic algae]

Phytoplankton species – last 3 wks.

All levels of DSP biotoxin recorded - last 3 wks.

Current closures levels≥ DSP 0.16 µg/g

CommentsWk. 24 – No change -Highestcaution-Continued Dinophysiscell increases as warned andnow causing seasonal closures –particularly in SW but also West.Areas adjacent to closed areasshould exercise high cautionalso. This is the historicalseason and environmentalconditions are suitable .Highest caution and goodsampling advised .

Ireland HAB & Biotoxin Distribution maps

[current status of harmful and toxic algae]

Phytoplankton species – last 3 wks. All levels of AZP biotoxin recorded - last 3 wks.

AZP and Azadinium like species current trends

Current closures levels≥ AZP 0.16 µg/g

CommentsWk. 24 - 2 wk. trend of adecrease in potential celllevels observed.Negligible toxin levelscurrently . No clear trendestablished.

ASP

Ireland HAB & Biotoxin Distribution maps

[current status of harmful and toxic algae]

ASP and Pseudo nitzschia sp. current trends

Current closures levels≥ASP 20 µg/g

CommentsWk. 24: - Current decreasein spread and cell levelsobserved. This species hashistorically caused periodicseasonal issues in specificsites. Moderate (E) caution inall affected areas and low tomoderate elsewhere until thisspecies is totally cleared.

Phytoplankton species – last 3 wks.

All levels of ASP biotoxin recorded – last 3 wks.

Ireland HAB & Biotoxin Distribution maps

[current status of harmful and toxic algae]

PSP and Alexandrium sp. current trends

Phytoplankton species (last 3 wks.)

All levels of PSP biotoxin recorded (last 3 wks.)

CommentsWk. 24 – 3 week trend -

Suitable stable environmentalconditions have increased therisk of a potential seasonalissue. Currently only low levelsof insitu potential cellsobserved. This is now withinthe historical period ofoccurrence and localised issuescan occur rapidly in specificsites .High caution during thisperiod of good weather inpreviously affected sites.

Current closures levels≥ PSP 800 µg/Kg

Ireland Fish killing phytoplankton Distribution maps

[current status of harmful and toxic algae]

Karenia mikimotoi

(old name: Gyrodinium aureolum)Current general conditions: Wk. 24

Potential for problematic species to cause issues : High

Karenia mikimotoi Moderate to High, increasing.

Heterocapsa sp. Moderate to High, increasing.

Noctiluca scintillans Low

Coscinodiscus species Moderate.

Phaeocystis sp. Moderate to high.

Chaetoceros sp Moderate to High.

High levels of Phytoplankton cells observed in most areas.

Transition slowly occurring towards Summer seasonal species in

populations .Calm weather, with high UV indices combined with

localised onshore winds may cause sporadic localised bloom

issues. Please note , any species at sufficient numbers may cause

temporary issues in water quality which could impact specific

areas over the course of a tidal cycle or for a period of days while

specific suitable conditions prevail. All areas should maintain good

routine sampling if concerned. Karenia sp. cells currently continue

to be observed inshore at low levels only. This species has been

known to come inshore suddenly, at bloom levels, during suitable

environmental conditions.

Phaeocystis speciesKarenia mikimotoiHeterocapsa spp.Noctiluca scintillans

Alexandrium spp.

Any part of coastline

Has tended ,in past ,to be very site specific

Ireland Satellite data: surface chlorophyll and temperature maps

Top 5 phytoplankton cell levels in all areas last week

NW coast (M4) Below average by 0.05°C wk.23SW coast (M3) Above average by 0.05°C wk.23SE coast (M5) Above average by 0.16°C wk.23

Week 24

Warmer waters indicated to continue to be nearingSouthern coasts. Currently diatoms andPrymesiophyte groups dominating populations.Localised chlorophyll peaks related to environmentalconditions. This is now the historical season formany bloom species to occur, both beneficial anddetrimental. Extra caution advised in all areas. Pleasesee additional information available on next page.

Rank Region Species Rounded Count

1 East Chaetoceros (Hyalochaete) spp.

5000

2 East Leptocylindrus danicus 3000

3 East Thalassiosira spp. 1000

4 East Prorocentrum micans 1000

1 North-West Chaetoceros (Hyalochaete) spp.

1659000

2 North-West Skeletonema spp. 449000

3 North-West Cylindrotheca closterium/ Nitzschia longissima

128000

4 North-West Prorocentrum micans 81000

5 North-West Asterionellopsis glacialis 65000

1 South Prymnesiophytes 73000

2 South Leptocylindrus danicus 23000

3 South Pleurosigma sp 14000

4 South Guinardia delicatula 11000

5 South Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima complex

8000

1 South-East Skeletonema spp. 1455000

2 South-East Microflagellate spp. 1072000

3 South-East Haptophytes 839000

4 South-East Centric diatom 31000

5 South-East Protoperidinium quinquecorne

25000

1 South-West Prymnesiophytes 2360000

2 South-West Chaetoceros (Hyalochaete) spp.

74000

3 South-West Leptocylindrus minimus 21000

4 South-West Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima complex

18000

5 South-West Chaetoceros curvisetus 17000

1 West Pennate diatom 43000

2 West Trachelomonas spp. 11000

3 West Dinobryon spp. 7000

4 West Guinardia delicatula 3000

5 West Tintinnids 1000

1 West North-west Skeletonema spp. 938000

2 West North-west Guinardia delicatula 92000

3 West North-west Pennate diatom 10000

4 West North-west Haptophytes 8000

5 West North-west Cylindrotheca closterium/ Nitzschia longissima

2000

1 West South-West Pennate diatom 81000

2 West South-West Haptophytes 26000

3 West South-West Cylindrotheca closterium/ Nitzschia longissima

12000

4 West South-West Rhizosolenia spp. 5000

5 West South-West Licmophora gracilis 2000