Abstract

The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently proposed to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations concerning the humane handling, care, treatment and transportation of marine mammals in captivity. Included in the proposed changes is "reducing allowable bacteria counts in water to improve water quality." Specifically, the proposed "bacterial standards" regarding water quality are:¹

"...that the coliform count can be either a total coliform count or a fecal coliform count. In the case of a total coliform count, we propose that the coliform count shall not exceed 500 colonies per 100 mL. If a fecal coliform test is used, we propose that the fecal count shall not exceed 400 colonies per 100 mL."

"...in addition to a total coliform or fecal coliform test... ...require that one of the following tests also be conducted on a weekly basis:

Enterococci count (count shall not exceed 35 colonies per 100 mL); or
Pseudomonas count (count shall not exceed 10 colonies per 100 mL); or
Staphylococcus count (count shall not exceed 10 colonies per 100 mL)."

The aim of this study is to evaluate ecological relationships of the proposed indicator organisms to total coliform bacterial counts, to overall microbial community structure in sampled waters and using whole genome sequencing, any indicators of potential pathogenicity in these communities. We share our observations with culture dependent and culture independent assessments of the proposed indicator organisms and a dose-response to ozone exposure.

Acknowledgements

Julie Nagler, Caryn Svienty and Jen Bozych of the Environmental Quality Laboratory at Shedd Aquarium are thanked for invaluable sample processing. This work was funded in part by a generous gift from The Grainger Foundation to Shedd Aquarium.

* Presenting author

Literature Cited

1.  Docket No. APHIS-2006-0085 published: Jan 29, 2016. Accessed online at www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2006-0085