MASS MORTALITYS OF OYSTER DUE TO RED TIDE IN JINHAE BAY IN 1978

In early August 1978, a huge red tide occurred off Chilcheon Is, , at the mouth of Jinhae Bay. It expanded rapidly into the central part and then soon covered all the bay except the innermost part of the bay. After staying for a week it disappeared, and thereafter several small scale red tides partially occurred and disappeared untill the end of August. It differed from the red tides hitherto recorded from this bay in respect of the dominant plankter, the geographical extent and the severe damaging effect to local oyster resources. During the red tide period, nevertheless, no oyster damage was found. In September, however, oyster mortailty was found from all rafts and longlines in the bay. Except the inner most part of the bay the oyster farms were completely destroyed. Of the oyster Production in the winter 1978, of an estimated yield of 5,879 tons (shucked meat) was lost and it was estimated to be 2,275 million won, equivalent to 4.55 million. The dominant species was a dinoflagellate, Ceratium fusus and it constituted about of the total phytoplankton. Cell count showed and chlorophyll-a, during red tide peak. No oxygen was found ill the bottom waters in September. Sulphides in bottom waters and in the superficial mud increased to 15 and 8-fold respectively in September compared with July ana August. Precipitation from January to May of 1978 was about a third in comparison with the past ten years average but rainfall ill June was two and half-fold more than normal year, and thereafter drought persisited till September Air and water temperatures were also higher, and sunny days continued for a long time without strong winds. Therefore, water was calm for a long time after the red tide extinguished. The result indicated that the occurrence of the Ceratium red tide occurred in that year which was characterized by the combination of the formation of almost anoxic bottom water before the red tide occurrence, high air temperature and the calmness after a great quantity of rainfall in June. The mass mortality of oysters was presumed not to be directly related with the red tide but with the depression of dissolved oxygen in the environmental waters at the bottom due to settling of the red tide organisms.