SoundHAB: FW: Posting of Phaeocystis bloom images from Brandon Sackmann, WDOE

Thu May 19 21:37:02 EDT 2011

Note to list serv members: Be sure to look at the links below for
spectacular satellite images for the European Space Administration MERIS
satellite provided by Brandon.  Thank you Brandon!

From: Sackmann, Brandon (ECY) [mailto:BSAC461 at ECY.WA.GOV] 
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 5:17 PM
To: SoundHAB at whoi.edu 
Subject: RE: SoundHAB: South Puget Sound fish kill and increasing
phytoplankton abundance in the usual areas of Puget Sound

Here is a MERIS image from 17 May that shows the extent of the bloom in
Southern Puget Sound; likely related to the widespread Phaeocystis bloom
that is being reported by the Squaxin Island Tribe.  Yesterday's image (18
May) had some contamination by high-thin clouds in South Sound, but still
showed indications that the bloom was present.  Imagery from last week (12
May) showed a less intense bloom in northern Case Inlet and little activity
in the smaller bays and inlets (although clouds are a complicating factor).
Links to Ecology's standard MERIS products are attached.

I will continue to process MERIS imagery over the next several days and hope
to send out a short condition report early next week.  While our ferry
observations do not extend into South Sound, we are using this information
to ground-truth our satellite observations when possible.

I will be in touch with additional details as I get things pulled together.

Brandon

-------------------------------------- 
Brandon Sackmann, Ph.D.
Washington State Department of Ecology 
Environmental Assessment Program 
Modeling and Information Support Unit 
300 Desmond Drive  | P.O. Box 47600 
Lacey, WA  98503   | Olympia, WA  98504-7600 
Tel:     (360) 407-6684
Fax:     (360) 407-6884
Email:   brandon.sackmann at ecy.wa.gov
Station: C2D-60 
Web:     http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/ 

Slide1.JPG

Additional Puget Sound Information

MERIS Ocean Color & In-Situ Ferry Data

(data have not yet been QAQC'd)

18 May 2011

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/apps/eap/marinewq/eops/meris/MER_FRS_C2R_20110518_1826
35.pdf

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/apps/eap/marinewq/eops/clipper/2011-05-18_clipper.pdf

17 May 2011

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/apps/eap/marinewq/eops/meris/MER_FRS_C2R_20110517_1903
18.pdf

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/apps/eap/marinewq/eops/clipper/2011-05-17_clipper.pdf

12 May 2011

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/apps/eap/marinewq/eops/meris/MER_FRS_C2R_20110512_1846
31.pdf

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/apps/eap/marinewq/eops/clipper/2011-05-12_clipper.pdf

Contact:  Brandon Sackmann, Washington State Department of Ecology
(bsac461 at ecy.wa.gov)

From: soundhab-bounces at whoi.edu [mailto:soundhab-bounces at whoi.edu] On Behalf
Of Rensel
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 10:52 AM
To: SoundHAB at whoi.edu
Subject: SoundHAB: South Puget Sound fish kill and increasing
phytoplanktonabundance in the usual areas of Puget Sound

A minor fish kill of yearling coho salmon has occurred at the Squaxin Island
Tribal net pens in Southern Puget Sound commencing from 2 days ago, possibly
associated with a bloom of Phaeocystic sp., a harmful or noxious species not
usually associated with fish kills and not previously reported from Puget
Sound fish kills in the past.   Fish are reared for a short term in these
pens before release to enhance fisheries in the South Puget Sound an
elsewhere in cooperation with the Washington State Dept. of Fish and
Wildlife.  Managers are assessing the situation and may release the fish in
the near future. 

This reportedly was not a major fish kill and Northwest Indian Fish
Commission fish pathologists have inspected the fish, observed gill damage
and made management recommendations.     If more information becomes
available, we will pass it on.  

Meanwhile many of the usual suspect areas are experiencing increased
phytoplankton biomass concurrent with the first sunny and relatively warm
weather of our year.  NWFSC NOAA workers and fish farmers in North Puget
Sound report that species composition is mainly diatoms where it has been
sampled.  However this is based on limited sampling and not the US/Canada
border areas or Samish and Padilla Bay areas that are often bloom inittition
areas for Heterosigma. 

Tides are relatively large this week which tends to reduce the risks of
major blooms in our mixed channel areas.  Vertical stratification near river
mouths and throughout all north Puget Sound north and east of Orcas Island
and the South Strait of Georgia is in some cases less influenced by tidal
induced mixing.  The plot below shows what may be an early peaking discharge
of the Fraser River are factors of concern for fish killing Heterosigma
blooms, as occurred in May 2007 and was associated with the extremely poor
return of Fraser River sockeye in 2009.  Historically, Heterosigma blooms
often first occurred around July 4th, but in recent years blooms have
occurred much earlier.   Unfortunately, no sampling is being conducted in
the open waters of South Strait of Georgia at this time to the best of our
knowledge although typically sockeye smolts by the millions are flooding out
of the river into the South Strait of Georgia.   

Thank you to Jeff Dickison of the Squaxin Island Tribe for reporting this
event. We invite all participants to report harmful blooms using SoundHAB
list serv and especially fish kills to please report such events as soon as
possible so that other researchers can cooperate and contribute.  This is
especially important for species of harmful algae that previously have not
been implicated in nusiance or toxic blooms in our area in the past. 

Yesterday's Modis Satellite chlorophyll a image from an afternoon time
period.  MODIS NPP, 0.0125 degrees, West US, EXPERIMENTAL

(mg m^-3) 2011-05-18  (not adjusted for river plume effects). 

Description: C:\Users\Rensel\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary
Internet Files\Content.Outlook\F4FHUS15\chlorophyll 18May11.jpg

Fraser River Discharge (solid line), Mean historical flow (dashed) and upper
quartile of historical flow (dashed-dotted)

Description: C:\Users\Rensel\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary
Internet Files\Content.Outlook\F4FHUS15\Fraser 19May11.jpg

J.E. Jack Rensel Ph.D.

Rensel Associates Aquatic Sciences

4209 234th St. N.E.

Arlington WA 98223

360-631-6538

Jackrensel at att.net

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