Chairman Wise briefed the Council on the status of the Marine Disease and Pathology Research Consortium, established by the New York State Legislature at Stony Brook University 5 years ago.  He reported that two faculty members and one staff person have been hired and a state-of-the-art laboratory constructed to study diseases in marine animals (Marine Animal Disease Laboratory).  Among the activities being conducted at the laboratory, Mr. Wise described the following:

Research

• Discovered a new disease of the American lobster, excretory calcinosis
• Established the presence and distribution of QPX (Quahog Parasite Unknown) disease affecting hard clams in New York waters
• Documented the responses of lobsters of seasonal hypoxia and high water temperatures in western Long Island Sound re lobster mortality event
• Investigations on a pathogenic nematode infection in bluefish lead to a successful grant application to Rutgers University's coastwise bluefish recruitment program.
• Demonstrated the first survey evidence for the presence of Mycobacterium infections in striped bass in the New York's marine waters

Disease Diagnostic & Screening Services

• Hard clams for the presence of QPX in New York State since May 2003 for DEC; over 2,000 specimens
• Surf clams in Long Island Sound for DEC; 100 specimens
• Hard clams for municipal shellfish hatcheries; 3 cases, 30 specimens
• Shellfish for private aqua culturists: 3 cases, 350 specimens
• Mass mortality of fish in the Hudson River for DEC
• Hard clam mortality event in Raritan Bay, Fall 2002
• Lobster in mortality event in Long Island Sound, Aug-Oct 2003/Aug-Oct 2004.

The initial funding to the consortium was $1,000,000; $500,000 appropriated to Stony Brook University and a like amount earmarked in DEC's budget from the Marine Resources Account.  An agreement was made between the University and DEC with regard to what the DEC funds would be spent on (basically, the construction and equipping of the laboratory and specific studies on marine disease issues of importance to the Department).  Mr. Wise reported that original funding has now been expended and the University has requested continuation funding from the Legislature.  Preliminary information is that up to $750,000 may be forthcoming.  Mr. Wise will continue to keep the Council abreast of the important work of this unit.

 

Page last modified Friday, April 15, 2005 by George E. Carroll