Biosecurity monitoring of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species in Western Australian waters: first confirmed record of Alexandrium catenella (Dinophyceae)

Joana Dias,Justin Mcdonald,Julieta Muñoz,John Huisman

doi:10.3391/bir.2015.4.4.01

Abstract

The Australian National System for the Prevention and Management of Introduced Marine Pest Incursions has identified seven Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) toxic dinoflagellate species as target species of concern. Alexandrium minutum Halim, 1960, and Alexandrium cf. tamarense (Lebour) Balech, 1995, are currently known to occur in south-western estuaries and coastal waters but with no documented impact on the seafood industry or human health. Monitoring of these species is challenging, time-consuming, expensive, and often relies on traditional morphotaxonomy. This reports the first confirmed detection of another HAB species, Alexandrium catenella (Whedon and Kofoid) Balech, 1995, in Western Australia (WA), using both microscopic and molecular methods. The confirmed detection of A. catenella (A. pacificum Group IV genotype) in WA hopefully will motivate discussion about better monitoring and control of toxic HAB species.

Highlights

Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species can pose significant negative ecological and socio-economic impacts, produce toxins and can occur in concentrations high enough to have adverse effects on fish and human health (Hallegraeff 1993)
Human illnesses resulting from the consumption of HAB species toxins include cyanobacterial toxin poisoning, ciguatera poisoning, amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP), diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP), and paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)
In 2011, a single sample collected from Henderson (Fremantle Port) contained cells matching the description of Alexandrium catenella

Summary

Introduction

Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species can pose significant negative ecological and socio-economic impacts, produce toxins and can occur in concentrations high enough to have adverse effects on fish and human health (Hallegraeff 1993). In Australia, seven HAB toxic dinoflagellate species have been listed as target biosecurity species under the National System for the Prevention and Management of Introduced Marine Pest Incursions (the National System) (NIMPGC 2010). Two of the seven listed HAB species include Alexandrium monilatum Balech, 1995, and Dinophysis norvegica Claparede and Lachmann, 1859, which have been associated with fish kills (May et al 2010) and DSP (Freudenthal and Jijina 1988), respectively. These two species have, to the authors’ knowledge, never been reported from Australian waters. The remaining four species, Gymnodinium catenatum Graham, 1943, Alexandrium minutum Halim, 1960, Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech, 1995, and Alexandrium catenella (Whedon and Kofoid) Balech, 1985, are causative agents of PSP and their presence in Australia has been reported on several occasions (Hallegraeff et al 1988; Cannon 1990; Cohen et al 2001; Bolch et al 2002)

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