THE VIRGINIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE
Virginia Journal of Science


Virginia Journal of Science. 1999.  Vol 50 (4) : 227
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