J~ i eld notes 



Soundside Sleuths 



Two Sea Grant scientists want 

 your help tracking an elusive killer. 



Forget guns, flak vests and stake 

 outs. All that's needed to stalk this 

 killer is a clean glass or plastic 

 container. 



JoAnn Burkholder 

 and Ed Noga, two N.C. 

 State University 

 researchers, are 

 tracking the new toxic 

 dinoflagellate they 

 discovered in 1991. 

 This alga, named 

 Pfiesteria piscimorte, 

 attacks fish in coastal 

 waters. 



The microscopic 

 dinoflagellate stalks 

 fish, kills them, feeds 

 on their decaying flesh 

 and retreats to the 

 bottom to await more 

 victims. Burkholder 

 and Noga believe the 

 dinoflagellate is 

 responsible for as many 

 as 25 percent of the fish kills in the 

 Pamlico and Neuse rivers since 1986. 



But the research team wants to 

 know more about this newly discov- 

 ered killer — what triggers its toxic 

 activity, how long does it remain 

 toxic, how does it "attack" fish and 

 shellfish, and when does it return to 

 its dormant state? 



To find answers, the team needs 

 to find fish kills. And that's where 

 you can help. 



If you spot a fish kill, call 

 Burkholder or Noga at one of three 

 NCSU telephone numbers: 919/515- 

 2726, 919/515-3421 or 919/829- 

 4236. If neither researcher is in the 

 office, please leave a message on the 

 answering machine with details about 

 where the fish kill is located, what 



day and time it is, who you are and 

 where you can be reached. 



If you would like to provide more 

 help, take a water sample from the 

 vicinity of the fish kill. Use a clean, 

 well-rinsed plastic or glass container. 



Sieve Murray 



Lower the container an arm's length 

 below the water's surface in an area 

 where the most fish are still dying. If 

 the fish are already dead, then sample 

 where there are high numbers of 

 dead fish drifting toward shore. 



After the sample is collected, 

 keep the container in the shade or at 

 room temperature. 



If you're frequently on the water 

 in areas where fish kills are likely to 

 occur, then you may want to contact 

 Burkholder or Noga for sampling 

 supplies. They are willing to provide 

 a preservative — an acidic Lugol 

 solution — for collecting samples. 



To collect these samples, volun- 

 teers follow the same procedure as 

 above. But after the sample is 

 collected, they add drops of Lugol 



solution until the sample turns 

 golden orange. 



Besides taking samples, Burk- 

 holder and Noga also want volun- 

 teers to be good detectives and to use 

 their powers of observation. 



Volunteers should take 

 special note of the kill 

 "scene." They should 

 observe whether the water 

 is discolored, whether fish 

 are exhibiting erratic 

 behavior or whether they 

 are dying quickly. Good 

 detectives should also write 

 down the date, time, 

 location, type of fish 

 affected, whether birds are 

 eating the dead or dying 

 fish and other details that 

 seem unusual or of interest. 



Once volunteer detect- 

 ives collect their evidence 

 (samples) and jot down the 

 details of the scene, then 

 the information needs to be 

 sent immediately to 

 Burkholder and Noga for analysis. 



The samples and information 

 can be sent via state courier mail 

 (# 536121) from a state or county 

 office in your area. Or you can 

 contact Noga and Burkholder to 

 make arrangements for delivery 

 and reimbursement. 



The scientists will be able to 

 confirm the presence of Pfiesteria 

 piscimorte within one day after 

 receiving water samples. However, 

 it takes several weeks for the 

 researchers to determine toxic 

 activity. 



By becoming research detectives 

 for this Sea Grant duo, you can help 

 in the quest to find ways to control 

 these killer algae. 



Kathy Hart 



COASTWATCH 23 



