TITLE: HIGH CONCENTRATIONS; Researchers find `pfiesteria' in section of New River
BYLINE: TODD GERNERT, Staff writer
EST. PAGES: 1
DATE: 07/18/97
DOCID: MRNS19098
SOURCE: Morning Star - Wilmington, N.C.; MRNS
SECTION: Local/Regional; PAGE: 1B
(Copyright 1997)
JACKSONVILLE - While a researcher found no signs Thursday of a poisonous microbe where fishermen had reported it, a high concentration of pfiesteria was discovered in Wilson Bay.
Mike Mallin, of UNCW's Center for Marine Science Research,
confirmed a high level of pfiesteria piscicida and various algae
near Jacksonville's sewage treatment plant. "I can tell
you there's a lot of them there," Dr. Mallin said after returning
to Wilmington on Thursday afternoon with water samples. "There's
a lot for them to eat. There's a lot of other algae in the water,
and there's a lot of nutrients present."
New River Foundation President Tom Mattison said signs of
pfiesteria had been reported north of the U.S. 70 bridge. But
Dr. Mallin said nothing indicated the presence of the one-celled
predator there.
Pfiesteria is a dinoflagellate, similar to red tide, that
is known to secrete flesh-eating toxins.
In nature, pfiesteria dines mostly on algae and Atlantic menhaden,
a small, oily fish that swims in large schools. Menhaden float
when they die, littering shorelines.
But Mr. Mattison said heavier fish, including bass, are sinking, leaving no traces of the fish kill he said is occurring.
"Every fisherman I've talked to said every fish they've
caught had sores on them," he said Thursday. "We have
a massive fish kill going on, but all we got is bones on the bottom
of the river."
Mr. Mattison said the fish reportedly had red and pink lesions,
mostly around their anal areas and eyes. These sores are typical
of pfiesteria, he said.
Dr. Mallin and his team of scientists also found an area of
extremely low dissolved oxygen levels where a stream of hog waste
may be seeping down the New River.
Near Tar Landing, depleted oxygen levels indicated pollution.
Only a few miles upstream, oxygen levels were normal.
A 3,520-head hog operation in Onslow County has been shut
down temporarily after a July 3 inspection by state officials
found several violations, including a ditch that diverted hog
waste into a wetland between Gravely Branch and the New River.
Pfiesteria can be found in most brackish estuaries from Delaware
to Texas, but has been most active in the Neuse and Pamlico rivers.
Although scientists still know little about pfiesteria, it's believed
to have caused a third of all fish kills in brackish waters.
A Duke University researcher has proven pfiesteria poisoning
causes learning disorders and nerve damage in laboratory rats.
The microbe has caused two confirmed human illnesses: N.C. State
University researcher JoAnn Burkholder, who identified the creature
in 1989, and her lab assistant Howard Glasgow.
There have been no confirmed cases of pfiesteria poisoning
in humans outside a laboratory setting.
ART: Caption: Staff photo / KEN BLEVINS. Matt McIver prepares to take water samples Thursday in the New River while Mike Mallin of UNCW's Center for Marine Science Research takes notes.
DESCRIPTORS: Local/State
OTHER TERMS: UNCW Center for Marine Science; New River; pfiesteria; fish kills