{"id":10960,"date":"2019-06-08T11:53:44","date_gmt":"2019-06-08T15:53:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?page_id=10960"},"modified":"2024-07-05T09:43:14","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T13:43:14","slug":"testing-the-waters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/testing-the-waters\/","title":{"rendered":"Testing the Waters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Contamination from large rain events like Hurricane Florence can severely affect water quality. How does the state ensure that shellfish are safe to eat?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Hurricane Florence bore down on North Carolina last September, Chef Craig Love was concerned foremost about the safety of his family and coastal community, Carolina Beach. But as the founder of Surf House Oyster Bar and Surf Camp \u2014 located about 12 miles southwest of Wrightsville Beach, where the storm’s eye made landfall \u2014 he also was anxious about the potential impacts on the state\u2019s seafood supply<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love\u2019s restaurant, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this August, locally sources the majority of its seafood. After Surf House reopened to guests post-Florence, \u201cthe first question they had when they sat down was, \u2018Is it okay for us to eat the seafood here?\u2019\u201d Love recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Left: Craig Love is chef and founder of Surf House Oyster Bar and Surf Camp. Right: Surf House locally sources most of its seafood, such as the clams and mussels in this dish. Photos by Cassidy Klos.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Diners inquired about various seafood products. Among them were \u201coysters, for sure,\u201d Love says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s understandable that consumers would be concerned about the hurricane\u2019s potential effects on their shellfish. Oysters, clams and mussels are rooted to their environment, so they can\u2019t simply swim out of polluted waters. They\u2019re also filter feeders, meaning that they strain food from the surrounding water through their gills. With that nourishment, however, they also can take in bacteria and viruses, as well as pollutants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, \u201cthey concentrate any contaminants that might have been in the water, sometimes 10, 100, even 1,000-fold,\u201d says Rachel Noble, an environmental microbiologist with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill\u2019s Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) in Morehead City. Consuming raw shellfish that contain high concentrations of certain bacteria or viruses can lead to gastrointestinal illness such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea \u2014 and worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Florence\u2019s torrential rain came massive flooding carrying a concoction of sewage and animal waste, among other contaminants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou could visibly see that there was contamination in the system, and \u2014 I\u2019ll be honest with you \u2014 in a lot of areas, you could smell it,\u201d says Noble, describing the odor as an acrid, \u201cawful stink\u201d reminiscent of strong organic compost, fecal waste and chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washing Downstream<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the month following the hurricane, the state\u2019s Division of Water Resources<\/a> (DWR), part of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality<\/a> (DEQ), received notifications of 80 wastewater bypasses at 61 treatment facilities across the state. Those breaches released nearly 62 million gallons of partially treated and untreated wastewater to surface waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, DWR learned of 516 sewer overflows at 149 systems, resulting in nearly 55 million gallons of untreated wastewater coursing into surface waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did that sewage reach shellfish harvest areas? It\u2019s highly likely, according to DWR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The division also received reports from swine farmers that 33 waste lagoons brimmed and ran over the top of the dike wall. There was evidence, too, that some poultry farms were inundated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
This Landsat satellite image shows how flooding from Hurricane Florence affected water quality in the White Oak River, the New River, Adams Creek, and their outflows along the N.C. coast near Cape Lookout on Sept. 20, 2018. It reveals how soils, sediments, decaying leaves, pollution and other debris have discolored the water in swollen rivers, bays, estuaries and the nearshore ocean. Image by Joshua Stevens\/NASA Earth Observatory, using USGS data.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible that hog and poultry waste traveled to shellfish harvest areas. But the most heavily affected areas primarily were in inland counties or in places that don\u2019t drain directly to shellfish waters, according to DWR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While DWR did not investigate or receive reports of harmful algal blooms associated with Florence, \u201cit is too early to tell what the runoff following Hurricane Florence has in store,\u201d according to Hans Paerl, a marine and environmental scientist at IMS. \u201cStay tuned for what might happen this summer, as the sediments that entered our estuaries from last fall\u2019s storm are still releasing nutrients that could fuel algal blooms in those estuaries as well as Pamlico Sound.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The N.C. Division of Water Resources recently published a water quality report related to Hurricane Florence called \u201cReport: Survey of Surface Water Quality Associated with Hurricane Florence, September 2018<\/a>.\u201d<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safety First<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To ensure that North Carolina shellfish reaching the market are safe to eat, the state\u2019s Division of Marine Fisheries<\/a> (DMF), part of DEQ, oversees the North Carolina Shellfish Sanitation Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program, which follows federal guidelines, is responsible for monitoring and classifying waters for the state\u2019s bivalve mollusks, which primarily consist of oysters and clams, but also include mussels and scallops. There are four major types of classifications, explains Shannon Jenkins, DEQ\u2019s Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational Water Quality Section chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cApproved waters are the waters that are open most all the time,\u201d he says. They\u2019re \u201cthe least impacted by any kind of pollution, and generally only close under emergency conditions, like a hurricane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next are conditionally approved waters, which have two sub-categories. Conditionally approved-open waters stay open almost all the time, he says, but rainfall and other periodic events can warrant temporary closings. Meanwhile, conditionally approved-closed waters are generally closed, except during certain periods when they\u2019re deemed safe for harvesting \u2014 say, during a drought, when stormwater runoff, and hence contamination, is low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restricted waters, meanwhile, are closed to shellfish harvested for direct consumption, Jenkins says. However, their pollution levels are low enough that shellfish removed from those areas and placed into approved waters will eventually be safe to eat. Indeed, over time, shellfish are able to rid themselves of contaminants. \u201cThey self-cleanse,\u201d Jenkins says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last classification is prohibited waters. \u201cAt this time, no shellfish are allowed to be harvested from waters classified as prohibited,\u201d Jenkins says.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Matthew Stokley of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries\u2019 Shellfish Sanitation and Recreational Water Quality Section collects routine bacteriological water quality samples in the Topsail Sound area. Photo by Andy Haines\/DMF.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The state uses a set of stringent protocols to classify shellfish harvest areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For starters, over the course of a year, the shellfish sanitation team collects water samples from hundreds of locations throughout the areas open to shellfish harvest, as well as in some closed areas. They do this at least six times, randomly, at each location. Two state labs then test those water samples for fecal coliform bacteria \u2014 that is, bacteria that are characteristically found in the gut and feces of animals and humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most fecal coliform bacteria are not disease-causing, or pathogenic. We all have \u201cgood\u201d E. coli<\/em> residing in our bodies, for example. But where good fecal bacteria reside, \u201cbad\u201d bacteria or viruses also might be lurking. The presence of fecal coliforms in a water sample can thus serve as indirect evidence of pathogens in the source water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to water sampling, at least every three years the shellfish sanitation team conducts shoreline surveys that offer further insight into water quality. \u201cWe have a number of shoreline surveyors who go along waterfront properties and up in the watersheds and visit businesses and homes to identify potential and actual sources of pollution\u201d that could affect shellfish harvest areas, Jenkins explains. Such sources could be farms, marinas or septic systems, for instance. Surveyors work with DWR to evaluate wastewater treatment plants and collections systems as well, Jenkins adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program also periodically examines meteorological and hydrographic factors \u2014 the physical features of water bodies, such as tides and currents \u2014 to understand how they influence water quality. Those investigations include studies of point-source discharges, such as from industrial plants or wastewater treatment plants, to determine if buffer zones are adequate in the event of a malfunction or other potentially contaminating event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data collected from water sampling, shoreline surveying and weather and water studies form the basis of a comprehensive report known as a sanitary survey. \u201cThat\u2019s what we use to classify the waters for shellfish harvest,\u201d Jenkins says. The Shellfish Sanitation Program produces a report at least every three years for each of 55 designated \u201cgrowing areas\u201d where shellfish are harvested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re wondering about chemical contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, the Shellfish Sanitation Program does not regularly test for those. It instead relies on its classification system to limit harvest from areas prone to chemical contamination, Jenkins says. For instance, most of the Cape Fear River is permanently closed to shellfish harvesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about toxins associated with algae? Harmful algal blooms (HABS) affecting shellfish are rare occurrences in North Carolina, according to Jenkins. \u201cThe last issue we had regarding HABs and shellfish was in 1987 due to the red tide event,\u201d he says. When necessary, the Shellfish Sanitation team works collaboratively with state and federal agencies and local academic researchers to screen for harmful algal species and test for toxins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jenkin and his team remain vigilant on a day-to-day basis, too. After certain amounts of rain, for example, they close affected conditionally approved areas for a short time period until they can complete bacteriological testing. \u201cWe know that if it rains a lot, it\u2019s going to wash sediment and bacteria from the land directly into the water,\u201d Jenkins says, \u201cand temporarily, those waters will be not safe for shellfish harvest because of all the bacteria and other potential pathogens in the water that the shellfish are taking up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of Hurricane Florence, the program consulted with the state health director and preemptively closed all shellfish harvest areas on Sept. 13, a day before the storm made landfall. The state anticipated impacts to those areas, Jenkins says, and \u201cwe knew that we would have to assess issues after the storm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the closure, Jenkins\u2019 team worked with DWR and other agencies and municipalities to monitor rainfall totals, flood reports and wastewater treatment problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They used that information to evaluate which harvest areas could be reopened and when. Some northeastern areas were spared major water quality impacts and reopened quickly, Jenkins says. Others in the central and southern parts of the state took longer, as drainage from ditches and rivers, failing wastewater infrastructure and sewage discharges were addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the shellfish sanitation team contacted as many shellfish dealers as possible, either by phone or in person, to ensure that no product was sold at dealer locations that had been affected by floodwaters or power outages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By sunrise on Oct. 27, about six weeks after Florence made landfall, all areas typically open to shellfish harvest were back in business. As Jenkins puts it, when it comes to shellfish monitoring, there\u2019s a lot of work \u201cthat goes behind the scenes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effects from Florence were particularly problematic for N.C. shellfish farmers. The state\u2019s up-and-coming shellfish aquaculture industry lost around $8 million in product, according to Chuck Weirich, North Carolina Sea Grant\u2019s marine aquaculture specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot only did many producers lose a lot of product from the storm, the inability to harvest and supply product to their markets for an extended period of time definitely hurt their businesses,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, the industry as a whole understands the closures and strives to make sure that the shellfish harvested from their farms is safe to enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What About Vibrio?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever eaten raw shellfish, you might be aware of the concern over bacteria known as Vibrio<\/em>. Certain strains of Vibrio<\/em> are pathogenic, and can cause maladies ranging from gastrointestinal upset to bloodstream infections and skin lesions, according to the Centers for Disease Control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike fecal coliform bacteria, Vibrio<\/em> are naturally found in the environment. Nearly 100 species of Vibrio<\/em> bacteria have been described, and they exist in a wide array of aquatic niches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In North Carolina, the two pathogenic species of concern are Vibrio vulnificus<\/em> and Vibrio parahaemolyticus<\/em>, according to Noble of IMS. \u201cThey don\u2019t like fresh water, but they don\u2019t like full salt ocean water, either,\u201d she says. They\u2019re found in estuaries \u2014 as many bivalves are \u2014 and thrive in warm, stagnant water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Vibrio<\/em> encounter an accommodating environment, Noble says, they\u2019re \u201cgoing to be extremely happy and capable of reproducing very, very rapidly. In fact, they can double every 10 to 20 minutes, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2018, Noble co-authored a study<\/a> appearing in Applied and Environmental Microbiology<\/em>, funded by the National Science Foundation and the UNC Research Opportunities Initiative, that used genetic sequencing to characterize Vibrio<\/em> communities in the Neuse River Estuary, near Pamlico Sound. (The estuary is closed off to shellfish harvesting). They found dramatic changes in the overall Vibrio<\/em> population following Hurricane Matthew, which struck the East Coast in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, V. vulnificus<\/em> became \u201cmuch more prolific\u201d post-Matthew, the authors write, likely for two primary reasons. For one, freshwater discharge diluted the salinity of the estuary to levels at which V. vulnificus<\/em> can survive, but which may have negatively affected its competitors. And two, the species might have exploited an influx of nutrients in the organic runoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noble and her team have continued to monitor Vibrio<\/em> in the Neuse River Estuary and are currently analyzing samples taken before and after Hurricane Florence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She notes that the storm\u2019s drenching rains followed a summer that already had been \u201cincredibly, incredibly wet.\u201d After the hurricane, a hot period ensued. During that time, \u201cwe saw some very interesting dynamics in the Vibrio<\/em> populations that we were following,\u201d says Noble, who has received N.C. Sea Grant funding in the past. Genetic results will reveal more about the pathogenic nature of those bacteria \u2014 and help shellfish growers protect their product, she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But one thing already is clear: \u201cWe need to understand more about the effects of storms on Vibrios<\/em>, and therefore understand more about the effects of those Vibrios<\/em> on shellfish,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state does not regularly test for Vibrio<\/em>, because it\u2019s a naturally occurring pathogen. But Jenkins says that measures are in place to counteract the post-harvest growth of bacteria. For example, certified shellfish dealers are required to receive and adequately refrigerate any shellfish obtained from licensed harvesters within a certain time frame from the start of harvest. \u201cSo, after harvest, we\u2019re looking at sanitation practices related to shellfish as well,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving Forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are North Carolina shellfish safe for consumption post-Florence? As Jenkins said during a March interview, \u201cwe\u2019re talking over six months since that event, and shellfish are safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noble agrees. \u201cCertainly, by the time 2019 rolled around, I would venture to say that the majority of microbial contaminants that had been concentrated during Hurricane Florence would have disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state is not aware of any illnesses from shellfish consumption linked to Florence, according to Jenkins. It did investigate two restaurant-related cases of illness caused by Vibrio<\/em>, reported last October, but could not trace the product to a specific location, either in or out of North Carolina, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The North Carolina Shellfish Sanitation Program is responsible for monitoring and classifying waters for the state\u2019s bivalve mollusks. Photo by Baxter Miller.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Noble says that North Carolina has \u201can excellent reputation\u201d when it comes to monitoring shellfish. \u201cWe have protected North Carolinians from these kinds of outbreaks using this fecal coliform system for decades,\u201d she says. She adds, however, that \u201cour systems are designed for normal conditions.\u201d Major storms like Florence \u201cpose a dramatic scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sampling water isn\u2019t a perfect proxy for sampling shellfish meat. They don\u2019t \u201cmagically just spit all that contamination out. As a filter feeder, they filter it, and they keep it basically in their tissue until it really falls apart,\u201d Noble says. \u201cThere may be additional measures that can be put in place following a major event like this to ensure that the product is safe for consumption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noble\u2019s lab currently is developing a kit that could be used to rapidly detect Vibrio<\/em> species in shellfish, thanks to support from the National Science Foundation and the UNC Research Opportunities Initiative. The kit is based on an earlier product that her team developed that tests for E. coli<\/em> and Enterococcus<\/em> bacteria. One company already licenses that kit for use in testing produce wash water and the quality of recreational beach water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noble envisions that larger farms and food distributors might be interested in using the Vibrio<\/em> test, and a private corporation has shown interest in licensing it. If licensing comes to pass, she says, then she and the company could work to get the test validated for use in testing of shellfish harvest waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For DEQ\u2019s part, \u201cwe can\u2019t in general take something that hasn\u2019t been vetted and approved by the National Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference and incorporated into the National Shellfish Sanitation Program for shellfish regulatory purposes,\u201d Jenkins says. \u201cBut all this research [into Vibrios<\/em>] is very important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumers also can take measures to protect themselves against pathogens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny raw food can potentially contain bacteria or viruses that can make people ill, particularly individuals with weakened immune systems from chronic health problems,\u201d says Barry Nash, Sea Grant\u2019s seafood technology and marketing specialist. \u201cThose with chronic health issues should avoid eating raw or undercooked shellfish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always a good idea to cook your shellfish,\u201d Noble says. That way, \u201cyou\u2019re generally going to break down most of the viruses and most of the Vibrios<\/em> or other bacteria that could be inside the oysters that could make you sick.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She adds that other contaminants, such as heavy metals or chemicals, generally \u201care not removed by cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming Together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Surf House Oyster Bar and Surf Camp closed for 10 days after Florence to regroup and support the community. Upon reopening, they did serve oysters \u2014 Chef Love had stockpiled them ahead of the storm. \u201cBut we definitely did not have access to the mussels for about three weeks after the storm,\u201d nor to clams, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, the restaurant suffered no structural damage. Says Love of Florence, \u201cit definitely made us all appreciate just the fragility of this environment on a lot of levels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned for future stories about seafood consumption safety.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related<\/h2>
\nSummer 2019 Issue<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Hurricane Florence bore down on North Carolina last September, Chef Craig Love was concerned foremost about the safety of his family and coastal community, Carolina Beach \u2014 he also was anxious about the potential impacts on the state\u2019s seafood supply.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":12630,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"views\/single-immersive.blade.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"Julie Leibach","ncst_show_custom_author":true,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-immersive-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"backgroundColor\":\"custombg_one\",\"displayCategoryID\":649,\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[574,595,649],"tags":[],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[656],"displayCategory":{"term_id":649,"name":"Summer 2019","slug":"summer-2019","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":650,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":574,"count":9,"filter":"raw"},"yoast_head":"\nTesting the Waters - Coastwatch<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Contamination from large rain events like Hurricane Florence can severely affect water quality. 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