Abstract
The proper management of water quality in fishing ports handling seafood is necessary for ensuring food quality and public health. In this study, the hygienic conditions at Aoshima fishing port (Miyazaki, Japan) and surrounding coastal areas were investigated. In water samples obtained from inner sites of the port using a lift pump, coliform counts and fecal streptococcus counts varied seasonally from 10 to 104 MPN·100ml-1 and from 0 to 102 MPN·100ml-1, respectively. In water samples from an estuary located adjacent to the port, coliform counts and fecal streptococcus counts were1 to 2 orders of magnitude higher that those of water samples from the fishing port. Coliform counts obtained by the MPN method were significantly higher than fecal streptococcus counts and fecal coliform counts obtained by the membrane filter method. Fecal streptococcus counts and fecal coliform counts corresponded to 2% and 3% of coliform counts, respectively. There was an inverse correlation between salinity and coliform counts, and coliforms seemed to be diluted with seawater. Fecal streptococcus counts showed a lower correlation with not only salinity but also turbidity, suggesting that sedimentation and resuspension affect the fecal streptococcus population dynamics in the estuary near the port.
