Hood Canal Experiences Bloom of Coccolithophores - If they can do it why can't I?

Coccolithophore - Emiliania huxleyi 

The great calcifiers.

The Lake Louise of Puget Sound

Satellite images from last week caught what a few may have seen while driving along Hood Canal - an immense bloom of phytoplankton, believed to be Coccolithophore. While generally known for turning vast areas of the oceans a milky white, they may also at times cause the waters to be turquoise in color, similar to the color of Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. They are made up largely of calcium carbonate shields.

Non-native Pacific Oysters:

Not so great calcifiers.

You're getting warmer

As the Coccolithophores are made up largely of calcium carbonate it is unclear why Taylor Shellfish and Coast Seafoods are having such difficulty growing non-native Pacific oysters in their hatcheries. Seen in the picture above is the concentration of the phytoplankton, located in Dabob Bay. It is the same area where non-native Pacific oyster larvae die-offs in hatcheries have caused large amounts of taxpayer dollars to be spent in an attempt to understand why. Currently, a low pH level believed to be caused by CO2 altering the chemistry of the water is believed to be the cause. A recent paper in Ocean Acidification discussed the possibility that global warming helped Coccolithophores adapt relatively quickly to the changes in chemistry brought about by lower levels of pH.

Why oh why can't I?

Native Olympia oyster on the left,

non-native Pacific oyster on the right.

Sometimes bigger isn't better.

In addition to discovering the currently accepted cause of this hatchery failure, taxpayer funding has also discovered the smaller, and native Olympia oyster appears to fare much better in this lower pH environment. Added to that list of native species which appear to be able to adapt to this environment is the Coccoliothophore phytoplankton currently thriving in Hood Canal. In the case of the shellfish industry, the non-native Pacific oyster is the oyster of choice, as it grows faster and larger than the native Olympia oyster which was over-harvested to near extinction. It may be, in the end, that being bigger isn't always better.

The big picture.

Get a larger perspective on things.

Seen in the satellite image above, taken in late July, the area of Hood Canal affected by the bloom is clearly seen. What the long term implications of the bloom are remain to be seen, except that things change, sometimes faster than we know.

Washington's Mason County Oysters Cause Norovirus-like Illnesses for a Second Time in 3 Months



Oysters Harvested from Hood Canal

Cause Norovirus-like Illnesses

 

One more "wee beastie" to worry about.

A second outbreak from norovirus carried by Mason County oysters?
Oysters harvested from in Washington's Mason County have again caused what the Department of Health describes as "norovirus-like illnesses." DOH has not yet said whether the oysters have tested positive for norovirus, nor whether the source is the harvest site in Hood Canal or at another point along the distribution chain, only describing the illnesses as being "norovirus-like." For now, DOH has closed the area in Hood Canal to commercial and recreational harvest while they research the cause.

Commercial and Recreational Harvesting Closed

on Hood Canal, near Lilliwaup

(from DOH Shellfish Safety Map)

Are they "vibriosis-like" or "norovirus-like" symptoms?
Like vibriosis, caused by the naturally occurring bacterium vibrio parahaemolyticus, symptoms from infection of the unnatural norovirus (aka Norwalk virus) are described in a similar way by DOH. Those are described on the website of the Department of Health as:

Norovirus: The most common symptoms are watery diarrhea, explosive projectile vomiting (that shoots out), and stomach pain.

Vibriosis: Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills. The illness is usually mild or moderate and runs its course in 2 to 3 days. In severe cases, hospitalization may be required.  

Norovirus illnesses appeared to have been dropping
Until December's outbreak, norovirus had not been as big of a problem for Washington's shellfish growers. Based on a report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest on norovirus caused by oysters harvested from Washington between 1993 to 2009, since 2007 it has been rare (0 reported in 2007, 2008 and 2009). DOH did report December 2011 illnesses in their March 2012 newsletter but the number was not noted and, until December of 2014, there do not appear to have been any other reported norovirus illnesses traced to Washington.

Until December of 2014
In early December a similar outbreak of illnesses from Washington oysters was confirmed to be norovirus. It is currently believed a leaking septic system was the source, although that could not be confirmed. That harvest area, also in Mason County, was in Hammersley Inlet and like Hood Canal's, was closed.

Will a new plan be needed to address norovirus?
The norovirus-like illness from oysters harvested from Mason County's waters comes at an awkward time as the Department of Health is just now implementing a new training program of 10 classes to try and be proactive in preventing vibriosis, something neither the growers nor DOH had been able to do under the old system. Growers will now be required to monitor water temperatures and, if the water temperature reaches a certain level, will voluntarily cease harvesting. In the past, DOH waited until a certain number of illnesses were traced to a growing area, then retroactively closed the area. Whether relying on the shellfish industry to control vibriosis through the new system will be successful remains to be seen, as does how DOH address the possible growing problem with norovirus in oysters harvested from Washington.

Vibrio Returns to Puget Sound: Hood Canal Growing Area 6 Impacted

Vibriosis traced to oysters

from Hood Canal

The Department of Health has notified shellfish growers of vibriosis contracted from oysters traced to Hood Canal Growing Area #6. They are now requiring shellfish growers in Area #6 to reduce the "time to temperature" to one hour. DOH is required to act if 2 or more cases of vibriosis are reported which can be traced to a specific growing area.

Combination of Minus Tides

and Higher Temperatures



As noted earlier in the month, the combination of higher than normal temperatures and minus day time tides increases the risk of vibrio in oysters causing illness. April 30th, DOH issued a warning to shellfish growers to be aware of the increased risk to consumers. Warmer than normal temperatures for this weekend, combined with minus day time tides, may again increase the risk of contracting vibriosis from oysters harvested from Puget Sound.

Hood Canal Oysters Recalled

An outbreak of vibriosis has initiated a recall of oysters harvested after August 16 from Hood Canal's Area 5 (just north of the southern "Great Bend"). Vibriosis, caused by the naturally occurring bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Vp) is an annual problem during the summer months for Washington's shellfish growers, moreso for those who become ill. Unlike most who contract vibriosis, reported cases are not getting better.

(from "Shellfish Safety", Department of Health)

(Note: The above numbers do not

include unreported cases, only those

confirmed by laboratory testing.)

Last year China banned the import of oysters from Washington State due to a similar outbreak and recall. Taylor Shellfish spokesman Bill Dewey responded: “This has wreaked havoc on our export business,” he said (Puget Sound Business Journal, 9/30/2011). Those who got ill were not interviewed for their response to what havoc, economic or otherwise, vibriosis caused in their lives.

In response to the FDA issuing a recall of the contaminated oysters last year, the shellfish industry sent a delegation of representatives, attorneys and lobbyists to Washington D.C. with this message for Congressman: "Despite seemingly adequate efforts by firms and SSCAs [State Shellfish Control Authorities], the FDA has unilaterally decided to elevate recalls and issue press releases which have unnecessarily alarmed consumers and had significant economic consequences on shellfish growers and distributors." (From the Pacific Shellfish Grower's Association's "FDA's Communications practices Hurth Shellfish Producers" handout dated February 2012.) It is unclear what "adequate efforts" industry lobbyists were referring to. What is clear is vibriosis is not under control.

As Governor Gregoire presses forward to expand the shellfish industry she should consider what she is leaving as her legacy. Scientists on her "Blue Ribbon Panel" have questioned whether the shellfish industry's expansion is something which should be promoted. Washington State's shellfish are causing increasing numbers of Vibriosis and other diseases. Warming temperatures can be expected to increase these numbers. She might consider listening to what her appointed scientists are saying.