A fish kill of massive proportion in Kuwait Bay, Arabian Gulf, 2001: the roles of bacterial disease, harmful algae, and eutrophication |
| |
| Authors: | Patricia M Glibert Jan H Landsberg Joyce J Evans Mohammad A Al-Sarawi Muna Faraj Mohammad A Al-Jarallah Allison Haywood Shahnaz Ibrahem Phil Klesius Christine Powell Craig Shoemaker |
| |
| Institution: | a Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 775, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA;b Florida Marine Research Institute, 100 8th St., St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA;c United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Aquatic Animal Health Research Laboratory, 151 Dixon Drive, Chestertown, MD 21620, USA;d United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Aquatic Animal Health Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 952, Auburn, AL 36832, USA;e Environment Public Authority, P.O. Box 24395, Safat 13104, Kuwait;f Ministry of Health, State of Kuwait, P.O. Box 5, Safat 13104, Kuwait;g Florida Institute of Oceanography, 830 1st St. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA;h Marine Biotoxins Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | In August and September 2001, Kuwait Bay, a semi-enclosed embayment of the Arabian Gulf, experienced a massive fish kill involving over >2500 metric tons of wild mullet (Liza klunzingeri), due to the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae. In the Bay, this event was preceded by a small fish kill (100–1000 dead fish per day) of gilthead sea bream (Sparus auratus) in aquaculture net pens associated with a bloom of the dinoflagellate Ceratium furca. Sea bream were found to be culture positive for S. agalactiae, but did not show any visible signs of disease. Unusually warm temperatures (up to 35 °C) and calm conditions prevailed during this period. As the wild fish kill progressed, various harmful algae were observed, including Gymnodinium catenatum, Gyrodinium impudicum, and Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum. Cell numbers of G. catenatum and G. impudicum exceeded 106 l−1 in some locations. All fish tested below the limits of detection for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and brevetoxins. Clams (Circe callipyga) were positive for PSP but at levels below regulatory limits. Nutrient concentrations, both inorganic and organic, were highly variable with time and from site to site, reflecting inputs from sewage outfalls, the aquaculture operations, a high biomass of decomposing fish, and other sources. It is hypothesized that many factors contributed to the initial outbreak of the bacterial disease, including unusual warm and calm conditions. The same factors, as well as enriched nutrient conditions, also apparently were conducive to the subsequent HAB outbreaks. The detection of PSP, while below regulatory limits, warrants further monitoring to protect human health. |
| |
| Keywords: | Kuwait Bay Fish kill Ceratium furca Streptococcus agalactiae Gymnodinium catenatum Gyrodinium impudicum Pyrodinium sp Paralytic shellfish poisoning PSP Inorganic nutrients Organic nutrients Eutrophication |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
