| Virginia
Journal of Science. 1999. Vol 50 (4) : 227 |
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FORWARD
In the summer of 1997, a toxic population of
the dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida was identified as
the micro-organism linked to a fish kill in the Pokomoke River,
Maryland. This river originates in Maryland and enters the
Chesapeake Bay, with the lower reach of the river sharing its northern
and southern shorelines with Maryland and Virginia
respectively. Since that occurrence, both Virginia and
Maryland have organized their state agencies and academic institutions
within their jurisdictions to address concerns associated with any
future development of this organism. A major concern has been to
determine if there are any human health related conditions associated
with this organism in the Chesapeake Bay region, and if this organism
is the cause of any increase incidents of lesion bearing fish, or fish
kills in these waters. In Virginia, specific emphasis has included the need for information regarding the presence of Pfiesteria piscicida in its estuaries, the potential impact this organism would have to the existing natural biota within the estuaries and to the health status of humans who come in contact with Pfiesteria , and to determine linkages with those environmental conditions that would enhance the development of this species. These activities are centered among many of the various agencies and academic institutions within Virginia, including those involved with the Virginia Task Force on Pfiesteria, which is composed of representatives from these various groups. In 1998, a multi-discipline approach was used in Virginia among members of the Virginia Task Force on Pfiesteria to obtain specific information regarding: 1) any fish kills or occasions where fish contained a high abundance of lesions that could be attributed to Pfiesteria piscicida; 2) the distribution of Pfiesteria piscicida, or Pfiesteria-like organisms in Virginia; 3) environmental conditions conducive to supporting Pfiesteria development; and 4) the identification of any human illnesses associated with the occurrence of toxic Pfiesteria events in local estuaries. Reports on the findings of these investigations by participants in the Virginia Task Force on Pfiesteria are presented in this volume. The forum for the initial presentation of these papers was at a special symposium session titled “The Toxin Producing Organism Pfiesteria piscicida: Response Protocols and Monitoring Results in Virginia Waters, and Related Studies “, that took place during the 1999 Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, held at Old Dominion University on May 28, 1999. This session was sponsored by the Virginia Academy of Science Committee on the Environment, and was held in the Environmental Science Section of this meeting. Special appreciation is given for the financial support related to this Symposium that was provided by the Virginia Academy of Science and the Old Dominion University Department of Biological Sciences. Harold G. Marshall Department of Biological Sciences Old Dominion University |