DMF Oversees Harwich Phytoplankton Monitoring Program

by Lynn Sherwood, Monitoring Program Coordinator

Swift handheld field microscope became the working tool for the Harwich plankton program and features inverted (LWD), long working distance objectives, 4x, 10x, 40x. 10x wide field eyepiece.

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HARWICH - All along the Massachusetts coast volunteers who are primarily municipal shellfish Department personnel, are closely monitoring phytoplankton populations. This "volunteer" program provides an inexpensive means to obtain useful long-term scientific data. Only a few dozen of the many thousands of species of microscopic and macroscopic algae are repeatedly associated with toxic or harmful blooms.
DMF's Shellfish Project oversees the Massachusetts Phytoplankton Monitoring Program. This program is funded through a federal grant from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Seafood, as part of a regional effort to look for potentially harmful marine phytoplankton (microscopic algae) blooms before they become a threat to human health and affect our fisheries.

Some species, such as the dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense produce potent toxins liberated when the algae are eaten causing Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). (photo courtesy WHOI).

The grant was made to the Massachusetts Health Research Institute, Inc. (MHRI) on behalf of and in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Division of Food & Drugs (DPH/DFD). MHRI is responsible for fiscal management, and DPH/DFD has programmatic responsibilities. DMF is responsible for all field aspects of the program including site selection, training of volunteer personnel and reporting. DMF and DFD work together to evaluate the efficacy of the program and to make recommendations to FDA.
The program has been established as a network for collecting environmental information using field plankton sampling and observations to detect early warning signals of marine toxins which have the potential to contaminate our seafood.
DMF has a long established biotoxin monitoring program which tests shellfish for the toxin causing Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, or PSP. This toxin is produced by a microscopic marine phytoplankton called Alexandrium tamarense. When environmental conditions are favorable for this organism, the population may experience a "bloom", causing the "Red Tide" shellfish bed closures.The addition of field monitoring for the presence of toxin-producing phytoplankton enables DMF to increase both the geographic range of monitoring for PSP organisms and to look for other potentially toxic organisms that have not been routinely monitored.
Harwich Port is one of 18 sites along the Massachusetts coastline, including Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard, are being sampled weekly. Most sites coincide with the primary shellfish collection locations for our biotoxin (PSP) monitoring program. Additional sites were selected to represent other major water bodies which traditionally do not have a PSP history.

Harwich High School summer work/study students take plankton samples from the stern of the Town boat.

Participants in the program have received specialized training by Sherwood Hall of the Office of Seafood, in conjunction with DMF. Training, which is continual, involves use and care of sampling equipment, an understanding of program goals and objectives, and identification of phytoplankton species known to produce biotoxins. Participants are responsible for submitting weekly data to DMF. DMF submits a monthly summary report to participants and involved agencies.
Plankton samples are analyzed on-site using optical field microscopes. Environmental information is also gathered and recorded. Recognition and reporting of unusual environmental conditions or events is another important aspect of this type of "signal" monitoring.
On-site field monitoring provides an immediate reporting mechanism by the volunteers to our agency. This allows DMF to respond rapidly to a potential toxin situation and to proceed with further samples and tests when deemed appropriate.

Diatom Pseudo-nitzschia australis produce a potent toxin demoic acid which are liberated when the algae are eaten causing DSP, diaretic shellfish poisoning. (photo courtesy WHOI).

The Massachusetts Phytoplankton Monitoring Program is also part of a larger cooperative effort in the Northeast that includes Maine and Rhode Island. The West Coast has been involved in this type of monitoring for about five years.
This program has great potential beyond just the obvious goals of an additional layer of protection to public health and the fishing industry. Participants are identifying and reporting many species of phytoplankton and other marine micro-organisms. Data from these observations will provide basic biological and ecological information on the primary producers of the marine ecosystem.
Since most participants collecting data are directly involved with shellfisheries, their interests in the phytoplankton community reaches beyond the primary toxin-producing species. Understanding local phytoplankton populations will aid more efficient management of shellfish propagation and enhancement. Monitoring also will help detection of biological "events" such as shellfish spawns, and in general, will encourage a better understanding of the Commonwealth's complex marine ecosystem.
This program is in its infancy. DMF and DPH/DFD will evaluate the program's effectiveness over the next year or so. DMF hopes the program will help focus toxicity testing on the times and locations of immediate concern.