Status of U.S. harmful algal blooms progress towards a national program

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

-*IF,,Iou!5 of U.5. Harmful Algal a Tpsiiiw
Progre5r2 towardi5 a National Prog ew.

Harmful algal blo=5 kill
marine wildlife and i I dTj M @,- M,

QK
568
T67
.S73
1998

FOREWORD

I am especially pleased to introduce this report summarizing the
status of coastal harmful algal Wooms (HAL39) and Federal agency
efforts toward better understanding HABs and toxins, predicting their
occurrence, and controlling or mitigating HAD impacts. With collabo-
ration from U.5. HAB experts, the Federal agencies cooperatively
planned a national response to the serious ecological and economic
HA13 problems that beget U.5. coastal regions. About five years ago,
several agencies pooled their resources and began to implement the
strategies in their co-eponsored national research plan. 5ince then,
other agencies have joined the effort. Their vision and subsequent
step-by-step, interagency efforts have resulted in a national,
multiagency-sponsored research progr-am-ECOHAL3--that is already
beginning to improve our understanding of HAB ecology and is en-
couraging scientists to refine state-of-the-art methodologies for de-
tecting and forecasting HA139. Now these agency ocientistsand man-
agere are turning their efforts toward national management of coastal
HABe. 5uch collaborative efforts are to be encouraged and the lead-
ers commended for this is the only way, in times of tight fiscal re-
straint, that complex, national problems can be credibly tackled and
overcome.

P. James Baker
Under 5ecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere
Department of Commerce

VS Department of Commerce
NOAA Coastal Services Center Library
2234 South Hobson Avenue
Charleston, SC 2940S-2413

STATUS OF U.S. MkMFU ALGAL 5LOOMS:@'
PROGRESO TOWARDS A NATIONAL PROGRAM

"216

.0w.
44
-1-Tht5;ApuMic@ation wa,!5 prepared by@. - Ag
Donna I). Turgeon, Kevin G. 5elln@r,ancl Donald 5cavia,
'-4 N@rMongl-QuM "5ervice,'Wtiomal Oceanie-and AtmoErpheric Admi-ni5tration,
n
-)ep
U. S.L t of Comr@er
Ge
4-
C9 tl
or
Do ma I dM. Ander5on,"Biology UepJftrnen-@, jood5 Hole 01%patjog@aph'116

t
With Gonfribu iono frortr
John Hei!51er X61 Kay @u5tin, U.5. Envinori mental Protect icn.Aeje ncy
MichjpjMrC-eehin, Center.5 for Pi5ea5e C@ontrol and Prevention
Alan I)eaFr National In5titj4,td*,,of En@irbnmental [email protected]
A
16 5herwoool Hall. Food and Drug Admini5tratioh
[email protected] Garri5on, National 5dlt!rq@ffunclatjon
Joan C,)evelahcl, Office of Naval Re5earch 04
e 1, National A-eronautiG5 and 5pace Admini5tration
Janet Campb*lell
Michael Geologic'M 5urvey, Department of Interior -AV
RoMert J!@VrighT- Agricultural Re5earGh 5ervice. EiWe?AXtment,04k"'\6)@iGuiture

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This document was prepared in response to a request by the House Committee on
Appropriations. In its Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and
RelatedAgencies Appropriations Bill, Fiscal Year 1998, the Committee "urged NOANs Coastal
Ocean Program to continue its efforts to establish a National Harmful Bloom program that
will expand the current geographic scope of studies on the ecology and oceanography of
harmful algal blooms (ECOHAB) to additional geographic areas and conduct research on
the means to prevent, control, and mitigate blooms and their effects." Because the Depart-
ment of Commerce (DOC) efforts through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration (NOAA) are cooperative with other Federal agencies, the Committee requested a
report "outlining interagency efforts and progress." Here is that report.
Harmful algal blooms are an increasing worldwide threat with significant impacts on
U.S. coastal regions. A harmful algal bloom (HAB) in local waters can have serious conse-
quences, depending on the species, that range from killing fish and other wildlife to making
shellfish poisonous and perhaps deadly to consumers. Recently, blooms have occurred in
new coastal areas and new species have also appeared, catching watermen, residents,
and local officials off-guard (e.g., "Pliesteria hysteria" in mid-Atlantic coastal waters).

Massive mortalities of wild fish due to coastal HABs. Severe economic losses of farmed fish due to HABs.
About five years ago, DOC/NOAA supported a workshop that resulted in a National Plan
(Marine Biotoxins and HarmfulAlgae:A National Plan) and set in place a process that would
eventually evolve into an interagency national program to understand and ameliorate the
impacts of coastal HABs. DOC/NOAA and the National Science Foundation (NSF) spon-
sored a second report (ECOHAB: The Ecology and Oceanography of HarmfulAlgal Blooms
a National Research Agenda). This National Research Agenda is the blueprint for ECOHAB,
the first Federal research program on the ecology and oceanography of HABs. ECOHAB
research is currently supported by the DOC/NOAA, NSF, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, the Office of Naval Research, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Recently, DOC/NOAA and the National Fish and Wild-
life Foundation sponsored the development of a third strategic report (HarmfulAlgal Blooms
in Coastal Waters: Options for Prevention, Control, and Mitigation), blue-printing needs for
a national management strategy for HABs. The Ad Hoc Interagency Task Force on Marine
Biotoxins and Harmful Algae, comprised of agency representatives and academic research-
ers, guides, directs, and supports the U.S. HAB program. The National Office of Marine
Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, distributes HAB infor-
mation and assists the national effort. This report summarizes the status of U.S. coastal
HABs, collective federal HAB efforts, and outlines interagency U.S. cooperation to better
auide HAB research, prevention, control, and mitigation.

5TATU5 OF, !-@!NRMFUL A 5:
A NA:1_P
PROGRE55 Ti e AM

INTRODUCTION dinoflagellates, the tiny organisms may in-
crease in abundance until they dominate the
U.S. coastal waters periodically expe- planktonic community and tint the water red-
rience extensive blooms of algae that im- dish with their pigments. Because other blooms
pact living resources, local economies, and may tint the water bright green or adverse ef-
public health. This phenomenon is not fects can occur when some algal concentra-
unique to the U.S., but is global, with ex- tions are low and the water is clear, the scien-
panding problems in Scandinavia, western tific community now uses the term "harmful
Europe, the Mediterranean, South America, algal bloom" or HAB. This descriptor applies
Asia-Pacific islands, and other coastal na- not only to toxic microscopic algae but also to
tions. Increasingly frequent incidences and nontoxic macroalgae (seaweeds) which can
the serious impacts of some bloom events grow out of control and cause such ecological
in the U.S. have led to an integrated, inter- impacts as displacing indigenous species, al-
agency HAB program that addresses needs tering habitat suitability, and depleting oxygen
for safeguarding public health, limiting (Figure 2). HAB impacts include human illness
bloom impacts on coastal resources, and and death from ingesting contaminated shell-
developing the capability to predict when fish orfish, mass mortalities of wild and farmed
and where toxic blooms will occur. fish, and alterations of marine food chains
Among the thousands of species of through adverse effects on eggs, young, and
microscopic algae at the base of the ma- adult marine invertebrates (e.g., corals,
rine food chain are a few dozen that pro- sponges), sea turtles, seabirds, and mammals.
duce toxins. Algal species make their pres-
ence known sometimes as a massive Figure 2. Dense macroalgal blooms smother bottom plants
"bloom" of cells that may discolor the water and animals (e.g., corals and sponges) and may drift ashore.
(Figure 1). Other species, in dilute, incon-
spicuous concentrations of cells, are no-
ticed because they produce highly potent
toxins that either kill marine organisms di- OL JWIIIIL.@
rectly, or transfer through the food chain,
causing harm at multiple levels.
Blooms of toxic algae were commonly
called "red tides," since, in the case of some

Figure 1. Dense microalgal blooms can color the water bright
green, red, or brown, and shade bottom plants and animals. What is the problem?

Fish lesions, fish kills, irritating health prob-
lems for some Maryland Eastern Shore resi-
dents, and depressed commercial fish sales;
from the Chesapeake dominated las t
summer's local news media, capturing the at

"Ambush Predator"
One of several new species of "phan-
tom" dinoflagellates, Pfiesteria
tention of state and piscicida, has a complex life cycle (dif- nesic (ASP) on the basis
federal agency offi- ficult-to-detect cysts, amoebae, non- of descriptive human
cials. The cause-a toxic flagellates and toxic zoospore stages). Af- symptoms. Except for
microscopic, toxin- fecting human health and fisheries in mid- and ASP, all are caused by
producing, single- southeastern U.S. estuaries, unknown sub- biotoxins synthesized by
celled dinoflagellate, stances freshly secreted by finfish stimulate P. marine dinoflagellates.
piscida to produce several toxins that narcotize
Pfiesteria-was to- fish and cause the formation of open bleeding ASP is produced by dia-
tally unexpected and sores." In the laboratory, human exposure to toms that, until recently,
appeared to catch aerosols from toxic cultures has been linked to were all thought to be free
short- and long-term neurotoxic symptoms. Fish-
politicians and ermen and others exposed to estuarine waters of toxins and generally
agency officials off- have also complained of similar problems, ex- harmless.7
guard. Public alarm emplified in the worst cases as a loss of A fifth human illness,
resulted, partially be- neurocognitive ability from aerosolized toxin. ciguatera fish poisoning
cause of the belief (CFP) is caused by
that this invisible biotoxins produced by di-
predator was now -1 noflagellates that grow on
lurking in the Chesa- seaweeds and other sur-
peake Bay. 41, faces in coral reef commu-
Although these nities.' Ciguatera toxins
toxic cells were are transferred through the
alarming and alien to food chain from reef fishes
local residents, HAB that eat algae to the carni-
events are common vores that feed on them
along U.S. shorelines. HABs are now found (e.g., barracuda). Similarly, the viscera of
throughout the U.S. coastal system, from the commercially important fish (e.g., herring or
Gulf of Maine through the Gulf of Mexico and sardines) can contain PSP toxins, endanger-
north to Alaska. Blooms of algae have been ing human health following consumption of
identified in every coastal state and HAB whole fish. Whales, porpoises, manatees,
species regularly threaten coastal living seabirds, and other wildlife are victims as
resources, restrict local harvests of fish and well, receiving toxins via contaminated zoop-
shellfish, divert public funds to monitoring lankton or fish (Figure 3).9, 10
programs, depress local recreational and Impacts from other HABs occur when
service industries, and burden medical marine fauna are killed by algal species that
facilities. release toxins and other compounds into the
U.S. HABs are caused by a diverse
group of organisms with serious impacts for Figure 3. Toxins accumulated in tissues of small marine life
humans and coastal ecosystems. When toxic that feed on HABs can kill large consumers like whales.
algae are filtered from the water as food by
shellfish such as clams, mussels, oysters,
and scallops, shellfish tissues accumulate
5,6
toxins. Typically, shellfish are only margin-
ally affected, even though a single clam can
sometimes accumulate sufficient toxin to kill
a human. Shellfish poisoning syndromes
have been given the names paralytic (PSP),
diarrhetic (IDSP), neurotoxic (NSP), and am-

Bs- 2

land bay scallops).
40"
What are the trends and economic
consequences of HABs?
-7
Documented episodes of PSP human in-
A: toxication and mortalities on the West Coast
extend back to 1903 in California. PSP events
L were also common off Alaska, Oregon, Wash-
Figure 4. Dense algal blooms may consume oxygen in the
water column and cause massive mortalities of marine life. ington, and Alaska, but extended into Puget
Sound only recently. On the East Coast, how-
water, or that kill without toxins by physically ever, observations of PSP events prior to 1972
damaging gills or by creating low oxygen were limited to eastern Maine. Now, PSP has
conditions (Figure 4). Pfiesteria and related spread throughout the rest of New England and
toxic species produce as yet unidentified to Georges Bank. As far back as the mid-1 6 th
toxins that have been implicated in tempo- century, NSP toxins, which poison human con-
rary short-term losses of neurocognitive sumers of shellfish, have caused respiratory
abilities (short-term memory) in Maryland irritation in humans and mortalities in fish and
residents exposed to water or aerosol con- other wildlife in western Florida and Texas
taining the organism. Large, prolonged coastal waters, and occasionally were carried
blooms alter the distribution of light, leading by the Gulf Stream to North Carolina. For the
to decreasing densities of valuable sub- first time, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana
merged aquatic vegetation in our coastal ar- suffered an NSP outbreak in 1996. ASP tox-
eas and degrading Paralytic Shelifish Poisoning ins, which cause per-
nursery habitats. manent loss of short-
Dense accumulations WARNING PSP syndrome is life-threatening and can term memory and in
of some HABs also result in r9spiratory arrest within 24 hours some cases death, now
of consuming shellfish laced with toxins
lead to local depres- from feeding on a,gae in the genus Alexandrium. occur along the West
sions in oxygen levels There is no antidote. PSP health risks are controlled Coast and off Alaska,
(hypoxia and anoxia) by monitoring shel'fish and rapidly closing toxic re- but the organism re-
that can reduce fish gions. PSP toxins can be transferred through the sponsible for toxin pro-
food chain, killing fish, birds, and marine mam-
and shellfish habitat mals. 10 12 Before -, 972, PSP on the U. S. Atlantic duction has also been
(e.g., seagrass, coral coast was restricted to eastern Maine. Now the identified from northern
and sponge) and in entire New EnglanJ coastline experiences periodic Gulf of Mexico and Mas-
most severe condi- PSP outbreaks Wth extensive shellfish bed clo- sachusetts waters.
sures and economic losses. Similarly, PSP ap-
tions, kill endemic fish peared in Puget S)und in the late 1970's. PSP im- Ciguatera poisoning is
and shellfish commu- pacts more U.S. coastline than any other HAB.'3 the most prevalent HAB
nities (Figure 4). Other intoxication in tropical
HAB species can and subtropical U.S.
damage local shellfish possessions, affecting i
and aquaculture fish
as much as 50% of the
stocks, resulting in se- U.S. Virgin Islands
vere economic hard- population, as well a,
s
I

many residents I
ship and, in some and
cases, collapse of the tourists of other tropical
Tu yeals
fishery (e.g., Long Is- 0 6-10tim.a U.S. states and territo
2 5 tim.a
I time
Sampled but not deteaed -HAa,- 3

Pre-1 972

line has prevented development
of a commercial shellfishery in
the state, estimated at $50 mil-
lion annually. 15 Domoic acid in-
toxication of razor clams and
Dungeness crabs in Washington
and Oregon resulted in losses
of $15-20 million in 1991, asso-
ciated with collapse of the rec-
reational and commercial fisher-
NHI '0 0 PR ies and a huge tourist industry.
Farmed fish have also been im-
pacted as a result of mortalities
caused by Chaetoceros
convolutus and Heterosigma
carterae, with 1987 losses of
$0.5 and $4-5 million, respec-
tively.16, 17
Along these same lines, a
single PSP event in Maine in
1980 reportedly cost the state $7
million'lland outbreaks have re
curred nearly every year since.
Similarly, the bay scallop fishery
in Long Island, yielding $2 mil-
NHI lion annually, has never recov-
N PR ered from blooms of the brown
tide organism Aureococcus in
Figure 5. Since 1972, U.S. HAB distribution appears to be expanding and 1985.19 Pfiesteria events in Au-
events occurring more commonly. gust, 1997 along Maryland's
ries. 14 On this evidence, the experts conclude Eastern Shore resulted in an estimated $40
that HAB problems are increasing through- million loss in commercial sales for the
out U.S. coastal waters (Figure 5). Chesapeake region .20 In the Gulf of Mexico
The scale of HAB economic impacts is and along the western coast of Florida, G.
startling, and, if the trend continues, the fu- breve blooms nearly every year, with esti-
ture most likely holds economic hardships mated losses of $20 million per event .21 In
for many more local communities that de- coastal North Carolina, 400 km of shellfish
pend on healthy fish and shellfish resources. area were closed from the same organism
The rapid geographic expansion in the past at a loss of $25 million in 1987-88 22 and the
two decades is responsible for economic shellfisheries of four states along the north-
losses approximating $100 million per year. ern Gulf of Mexico (Florida, Alabama, Mis-
his estimate would significantly increase if sissippi and Louisiana) were closed in 1996,
shellfisheries that have never opened due exceeding $15 million in lost revenue .23
to continuous toxin accumulation were in- Noneconomic losses accompanying
cluded in computations. For example, PSP U.S. HAB events have also been dramatic.
in shellfish along Alaska's 30,000 mile coast- For example, 149 manatees, an endangered

Bs- 4

species, were killed off western Florida
in a 1996 G. breve bloom. Each year,
fish, bottlenose dolphins, whales, sea
turtles and birds succumb from encoun-
ters with U.S. HABs (Figure 6). Such
F
events often trigger public outcry and a de-
mand for immediate remedial action.
-A
What causes HABs to increase? Figure 6. Losses of wildlife from ingestion of HAB toxins are
significant and include this dead pelican and these manatees.
Although few would argue that the num- ally occurring ratios, such that we may be al-
ber of toxic blooms, the economic losses r
from them, the types of resources affected, tering algal species composition by favoring cer-
and the number of toxins and toxic species tain groups (e.g., HABs) better adapted to al-
have all increased dramatically in recent tered nutrient supply ratios .30 PfieSteria, for ex-
years in the U.S. and around the world, opin- ample, seems to thrive in polluted waters .31
ions differ with respect to the reasons for
24-26
this expansion. We may have contrib A U.S. INTERAGENCY HAB PROGRAM
uted to the global HAB expansion by trans-
porting toxic species in ship ballast water 27 Until recently, the U.S. had no national pro-
or by dramatically in- gram or plan to attack
creasing aquaculture Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning problems associated
activities, Other "new" NSP gastrointestnal and neurological symptoms with HABs and marine
bloom events may re- from eating shellfish that have fed on toxic biotoxins, despite a long
flect indigenous popu- Gymnodinium breve dinoflagellates, can be debili- history of impacts, re-
lations that were dis- tating.@@' 211 There,s no antidote; full recovery usu- search, and local moni-
ally is within days Monitoring programs generally
covered because of prevent human e.-posure except in previously un- toring. Research pro-
better detection meth- affected areas where officials may not be monitor- grams were small, frag-
ods and more observ- ing. During blooms, humans may be driven from mented, and uncoordi-
ers.19 The linkage to coastal areas byasthma-like symptoms from rot- nated, run by individual
ting fish and toxic aerosols. Blooms occur annu-
pollution, however, ally along Gulf of Mexico shores (e.g., 22 of the investigators and rarely
cannot be ignored. In- last 23 @ears off western Florida), can cover as have been sustained
creased nutrient loads much as 3x101 km,,and can last as long as 18 through time. There was
months. In 1996, Louisiana, Mississippi andAla-
to coastal waters may bama experience(i their first bloom-30 @ottlenose little communication be-
stimulate background dolphins were kilied and the oyster industry suf- tween workers and no
(i.e., relatively low fered extensive 9conomic loss. A 1997 Texas federal coordination of
level) populations of bloom killed over 14 million fish. Blooms are occa- activities with respect to
microscopic and mac- sionally carried to North Carolina coastal waters. national priorities. I
roscopic algae to ink contrast, other countrie
tiate a bloom. Some such as Canada,
scientists even argue France, and Japan es-
that the nutrients that tablished coordinated
humans supply to national research pro-
s
a'

0_
coastal waters are de- grams that included fre@-
livered in proportions NSP vents duri,ng last 10 yea quent meetings of inves
that differ from natu- *e6-10times tigators, sustained fun
0 2.5 tim s
I tim.
Sarnpled but not dete@ed HABs- 5 _. ;*LS

ing in high priority areas, and continual re- Federal research program on the ecology
evaluation of progress and priorities for the and oceanography of HABs. ECOHAB is
future. This situation has begun to change in supported by DOC/NOAA, NSF, the U.S. En-
the U.S. If the effort is sustained, elements vironmental Protection Agency (EPA), De-
of a national program on HABs are being partment of Defense's Office of Naval Re-
implemented at a scale that will surely have search (ONR), National Aeronautics and
a significant impact on understanding these Space Administration (NASA), and the U.S.
phenomena and our ability to manage their Department of Agriculture (USDA). ECOHAB
impacts. research, focused on the mechanisms re-
sponsible for HABs in U.S. coastal waters,
How has the U.S. responded to HAB events? will be used to develop predictive models for
HAB events. Such models will help guide
Agency and academic research labora- future regional and national agency re-
tories have been active for the past several sponses to protect citizens, businesses, and
years, primarily focusing on HAB effects on coastal living resources from HABs.
fish habitat and nutrition. This research gen- The third portion of the U.S. HAB pro-
erated a substantial expertise and knowledge gram is summarized in a report that focuses
for the diverse suite of HAB species in the on processes, mechanisms, and technolo-
U.S., but there was no coordinated approach gies that might be employed in the control of
to developing explanations for HAB problems HABs and their impacts. NOAA and the Na-
nationwide. tional Fish and Wildlife Foundation supported
Convinced that HAB prevalences and development of Harmful algal blooms in
impacts were increasing, U.S. researchers, coastal waters: Options for prevention, con-
agency representatives, and members of the trol and mitigation. 13 It too was derived from
private sector began a series of workshops
at the start of this decade to plan a national Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning
response. Intense and productive workshops ASP, so named because one of its most severe
over the last 5 years yielded a compre- symptoms is the permanent loss of short-term
hensive national HAB program outlined in memory, can be fatal. The ASP toxin, domoic acid,
three separate reports. The first, a general is produced by the diatoms, Pseudo-nitzschia
approach to HABs outlined in the Department multiseries and P. australis. First identified in east-
em Canada in 1987,3 it has been a problem for the
of Commerce's National Oceanic and U. S. Pacific coast states since 199 1.33 Domoic acid
Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) has been detected in shellfish on the east coast as
sponsored report Marine biotoxins and well and toxic P. mulfiseries cells have been iso-
harmfulalgae:Anationalpla&2 is the nation's lated from Gulf of Mexico water. Besides shellfish,
foundation for HAB research, management, it is now known that domoic acid also accumulates
in fish and in crab viscera.
and policy.
The second report-ECOHAB The ecol-
ogy and oceanography of harmful algal
,MEW,
blooms a national research agenda"-is
sponsored by NOAA and the National Sci-
ence Foundation (NSF). It is a focused ex-
pansion of National Plan objectives pertain-
ing to the ecology, physiology and oceanog-
raphy of bloom-forming species. This report t years
6-10times
iow the blueprint for ECOHAB, the first 2 5 times
ASP everils during las 10

I time
Sampled but rot detected
6

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning
CFP is a malady associated with dinoflagellate tox-
ins that accumulated in tropical fish flesh. Although the Ad Hoc Interagency Task Force on Ma-
the most frequently reported non-bacterial illness rine Biotoxins and Harmful Algae, composed
associated with eating fish in the U.S. and its terri- of agency representatives and academic re-
tories, the number of CFP cases is probably far searchers. Although individual Federal agen-
higher because there is no confirmatory labora-
tory test and reporting to the U.S. Center for Gis- cies maintain agency-specific HAB projects,
ease Control is voluntary.28 CFP is produced pri- NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program (COP) is
marily by epiphytic dinoflagellates (e.g., taking the lead in guiding initial portions of
Gambierdiscus toxicus, Amphidinium carterae, the national effort through coordination of the
Coolia monotis and several others in the genera
Prorocentrum, Ostreopsis andThecadinum)grcw- U.S. research program ECOHAB and is at-
ing on the surfaces of red and brown macroalgae tempting to identify and interface HAB activi-
in virtually all sub-tropical to tropical U.S. waters. ties across the agencies. In its infancy, this
When macroalgae are grazed by herbivorous fi.3h, activity is receiving support from all agencies
ciguatera precursors in the epiphytes @re
biotransformed into ciguatoxin in fish flesh. with initial cooperation and dialog evident
Ciguatoxin accumulates, persists over extenced among the ECOHAB partners, the Depart-
periods and, if consumed by humans, causes long- ment of Interior's U.S. Geological Survey
term, debilitating, but non-lethal illness. 31 3, (USGS), as well as the agencies responsible
for public health and seafood safety, the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA), the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(N I EHS), and the Center for Disease Control
and Protection (CDCP) in Human Health Ser-
vices.
Additional input to the national program
amcs@@ TOT= is also ensured through operation of the Na-
6-10 times tional Office of Marine Biotoxins and Harmful
,4@ 0. 2-5 times
90 1 time Algal Blooms, located in Woods Hole, Mas-
Sampled but not detected
sachusetts. This office, supported by NOAA
and NSF, was established in response to a
objectives of the National Plan but defines national need for timely HAB information and
an area that the U.S. had not yet dealt effec- coordination. The office distributes national
tively with in its responses to HABs (i.e., r-nan- and international HAB information to re-
agement and control). The U.S. is far behind searchers, managers, and public officials
many parts of the world in managing coastal through its active web site. Further, the office
waters to limit HAB impacts. For example, assists the national effort by overseeing na-
Japan, China, and Korea are exploring a suite tional workshops and symposia on HAB-re-
of technologies and strategies (e.g., clay floc- lated topics. Overseen by Dr. Donald Ander-
culation, algicidal bacteria) to directly elimi- son, a HAB research scientist and U.S. rep-
nate blooms in their territorial waters." This resentative to many international organiza-
report is now the basis of a new U.S. initia- tions, the National Office is critical to contin-
tive to manage bloom development, persis- ued HAB activities nationwide.
tence, and toxicity, thereby minimizing eco-
nomic and ecologic impacts. How effective are current HAB efforts?
These three reports are the U.S. frame-
work for an integrated national HAB program. Research on toxins, toxic species, new
V
Guidance, direction, and support for the U.S. detection methods. Current research is, fo_
program is provided in biannual meetings of cused on some of the most troublesome HA

HABs- 7

species impacting coastal areas (Appendix Pfiesteria's toxins are being intensively
1). The initial interagency ECOHAB projects investigated through NOAA and N I EHS sup-
are in place and funded beginning in the fall port of the Charleston Laboratory and the
of 1997. Two intensive, five-year multi-disci- University of Miami's Marine and Freshwa-
plinary research programs are supported for ter Biomedical Science Center. Identification,
toxic Alexandrium in the Gulf of Maine and purification, and assay development are im-
Gymnodinium in the Gulf of Mexico, yielding minent. FDA is conducting research on the
predictive models for forecasting landfall of culture of pfiesterioid organisms for charac-
the HAB species. Seven other targeted stud- terization, toxin production, and development
ies are also supported, addressing macro- of detection methods. Nutrient requirements
algal blooms in Guam, trophic impacts of sev- and trophic impacts of Pfiesteria-related spe-
eral U.S. HAB species (Alexandrium, Gyro- cies are part of an intramural research pro-
dinium, Prorocentrum, Pseudo-nitzschia), gram at NOANs Beaufort Laboratory. The
population genetics of brown tide populations linkages between proliferation of coastal
from Long Island, bacterial control Of toxic HABs with land use and watershed charac-
Gymnodinium, and teristics are key com-
nutrient require- Brown Tide Blooms ponents of intramural
ments of ASP-pro- BTBs, caused by golden-brown algae, recently aP- EPA, USDA, and
ducing Pseudo- peared off southern New England and Texas. A mas- USGS research pro-
sive bloom ofAureococcus anophagefferens was first
nitzschia. A second reported in the bays of eastern Long Island, New York, grams. The economic
funding opportunity in June of 1985. Severe brown tides have occurred impacts of HABs, a
for new research on inmost years since then and now are also in Bamegat critical indicator of so-
Pfiesteria and other Bay, New Jersey, and Narragansett Bay, Rhode Is- cietal influences on the
HABs was published land. After a drought that increased the salinity and initiation of HAB
severe freezes that killed millions of finfish in Laguna
this spring with Madre, TX, an extensive bloom of a new species, events, are being
awards scheduled for Aureoumbra lagunensis, appeared in 1990 and each summarized by the
this summer. Blooms summer since. Both B TBs have had substantial eco- National Office of Ma-
of brown tide popula- logical impacts (e.g., reductions in zooplankton graz- rine Biotoxins and
ingrates, decreased light penetration andreductions
tions that have deci- in the extent of seagrass beds). Submerged aquatic Harmful Algal Blooms
mated bay scallops vegetation has been decimated in both regions due with support from
and seagrasses in to BTB shading. Subtle ecosystem changes from NOAA Sea Grant. Epi-
long-term dominance of the Laguna Madre system
Long Island are being in southern Texas are likely.37BTBs have caused derniology, symptomo-
intensively examined mass mortalities of blue mussels in Rhode Island.3' logy, diagnoses, ther-
through a Brown Tide In Long Island Sound, BTBs have had a severe i .m- apy, and advisory in-
Research Initiative pact on commercially valuable shellfish, affecting formation for humans
(BTRI), supported by more than 80% of New York's bay scallop harvest." exposed to marine
NOAA's COP. The biotoxins are major ini-
NOAA Sea Grant
tiatives within the
Program is support- CDCP. And finally, de-
ing individual HAB velopment of toxin
projects throughout biornarkers, indicators,
the U.S. that include and exposure thresh-
toxic species such as Olds are expanding
Pfiesteria, Alexan- programs within the
drium, and Proro- CDCP and NIEHS.
centrum National Plan ob-

S-8 -

Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms
Excessive growths of Anabaena, Aphanizomenon,
jectives specific to and Microcystis, can lead to HCBs that exhibit se- Florida shelf and
toxin identification, vere neuro-, cyto- and hepatotoxicity in a variety of Alexandrium for the Gulf
characterization, mammals (e.g., humans and farm animals), birds, of Maine).
human health, and fish and invertebrates (e.g., zooplankton). HCBs are CDCP and NIEHS
national economic and environmental threats, occur-
assay development ring in large estuarine systems (e.g., Chesapeake were active partners in
are current activities Bay, Albemarle-Pam'ico SoundandFlorida Bay) and resolving public health
of CDCR NIEHOZ the Great Lakes. For example, a persistent algal issues for Maryland in
bloom dominated by a new HCB species,
and laboratories in Synechococcus elorgatus. appeared in 1991 in mid- 1997 ' Through such ef-
NOAA and the FDA. north central Florida E3ay, spread to central and west- forts, CDCP-state part-
The NIEHS Marine ern areas, and persists more or less to this day This nerships expand epide-
and Freshwater Bio- HCB and the turbid waters and reduced light pen- miological studies on
medical Science etration it causes have been implicated in large-scale marine biotoxins and
mortalities of seagrF ss and sponge beds and even
Centers have dedi- degradation of Florida Keys coral reefs. develop case histories,
cated missions for diagnoses, therapies,
marine biotoxin re- and advisory information
search within each for public officials and
university center in the health community.
the NIEHS program Because of its man-
receiving annual date to ensure food
support. The Uni- safety, FDA maintains a
versity of Miami strong research and re-
NIEHS Marine and sponse capability to de-
Freshwater Bio- tect, evaluate, and miti-
medical Sciences gate toxic events which
Center is an interna- could affect food. FDA
tionally respected research on seafood tox-
resource for several toxins, including the ins (freshwater and marine) is carried out at
brevetoxins, fatal to endangered manatees dedicated seafood laboratories located in
and sea turtles. The Center's staff is cur- Washington, D.C. Dauphin Island, Alabama,
rently focusing on identification of and as- and Bothell, Washington. These laboratories
say development for Pfiesteria toxins. culture toxic organisms, isolate, and charac-
NOAA's Charleston Laboratory and the terize toxins, develop methods, supply toxin
Northwest Fisheries Science Center are in- standards, and evaluate risks from toxin ex-
vestigating toxin production and living re- posure. When outbreaks occur, these labora-
source indicators to toxin exposure for sev- tories analyze samples from cases of sus-
eral U.S. HAB species. NOAA:s National pected seafood poisoning. Illnesses from shell-
Environmental Satellite and Data Informa- fish toxins (PSP and NSIP) and ciguatera have
tion Service (NESDIS) is purchasing, pro- been confirmed from several poisonings over
cessing, and providing ocean color satellite the past two years. FDA laboratories aid states
data and products in near-real time that when emergency needs for environmental
should be helpful in detecting and monitor- analyses arise that exceed state capabilities
ing HABs. In cooperation with COP, NESDIS (e.g., the Gulf of Mexico NSP outbreaks of
is currently developing regionally specific 1996). FDA experts in seafood toxins work with
ocean color algorithms and calibrating/vali- state and federal officials to determine the ex-
dating incoming and outgoing data streams tent and hazard from environmental occur-
r

3
f

for HAB detection (e.g., G. breve for the west rences of familiar (e.g., PSP) or less fami lia

HA89- 9

Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning
DSP is considered by some scientists to be the most
common and globally widespread phytoplankton- tershed conditions, public health, and sea-
related seafood illness. DSP-producing species of food safety for the region. An immediate
phytoplankton such as Dinophysis acuminata and NOAA and EPA allocation of funds resulted
Prorocentrum lima occur throughout all temperate
coastal waters of the U.S. The first confirmed inci- in an enhanced and expanded water quality
dence of DSP in North America occurred in 1990 monitoring program by Maryland's Depart-
and 1992 in Canada. DSP, attributable to P. lima, ment of Natural Resources with cell identifi-
has been reported from northern Maine and from cation and toxicity determined at North Caro-
Georges Bank, but generally is not a problem in
the U.S. lina State University (Figure 7) and Florida
Marine Research Institute laboratories. A
NOAA vessel and captain were stationed on
the river for the summer. The NOAA-State
Cooperative Oxford Laboratory and USGS
APP, were instrumental in assessing pathology of
lesioned and dead fish as well as coordinat-
ing fish bioassays in the Pocomoke River.
CDCP and NIEHS assisted Maryland's
health teams in conducting public health sur-
veys and clinical examinations of Pfiesteria-
exposed and non-exposed individuals.
NIEHS, USDA, NOANs Sea Grant, and EPA
supported workshops specific to Pfiesteria,
its tox
ins, and impacts. The FDA immediately
initiated short-term bioassays of Pfiesteria-
toxic events (e.g., the response to the sus- exposed fish and shellfish to safeguard sea-
pected Ptiesteria species events in Maryland food from the area. NOANs Maryland Sea
last year). A major undertaking of the FDA Grant off ice produced a web site for near real-
Washington Seafood Laboratory is the train- time distribution of information from the tribu-
ing of state and foreign officials to establish taries, laboratories, and public officials.
observer programs which provide early warn- This immediate, multi-agency response,
ing of potential HAB events. FDA toxin ex- admittedly ad hoc, served to consolidate sup-
perts represent the U.S. in several interna- port from individual agencies that a rapid re-
tional organizations (e.g., APEC, the Asian sponse capability was a national need for
Pacific Economic Cooperative) with goals for comparable events in the future and became
the global distribution of safe seafood. one of the primary recommendations for an
Monitoring and assessment capabili- interagency report to the White House pro-
ties. Other current HAB activities in the Fed- viding recommendations for future HAB pro-
eral government address the National Plan grams in the U.S. Seven agencies (Depart-
objectives focusing on rapid response and ment of Interior [DOI], DOC/NOAA, CDCP,
assessment capabilities to toxic and HAB FDA, USDA, EPA, and NIEHS) participated
outbreaks. The unprecedented mass mortali- to produce National harmful algal bloom re-
ties of fish, high incidence of fish with lesions, search and monitoring strategy., An initial fo-
and public illness associated with toxic cus on Pfiesteria, fish lesions, fish kills, and
Pfiesteria-like populations in Maryland's public health, providing the basis for plan-
Eastern Shore tributaries this past summer ning Federal activities and responses for
initiated an immediate Federal-state partner- similar events in the future. National Plan ob-
to vigorously monitor and assess wa- jectives are focused and, with little revision,

_HABs- 10

HAB Fish Kills
Catastrophic losses of cultured and wild fish not only
were the model for developing this HAB occur from many toxic algal species, but also from
Strategy. others that do not cause illnesses in humans. Blooms
The successes of the Federal-State of the diatom, Chaetoceros convolutus, do not pro-
partnership in rapidly responding to duce a toxin but have caused massive fish kills.
Chains of these cells armed with long setae and short
Maryland's Pfiesteria-induced fish kills and secondary spines become lodged in fish gills and
public illnesses have also resulted in addi- cause blood hypoxia as a result of mucous produc-
tional support in FY98 to ensure a similar tion. Blooms of the flagellate, Heterosigma carterae,
capability in the coming year. NOAA and have caused even more extensive farmed-fish mor-
talities in British Columbia and Washington state with
EPA each received funding for assisting substantial economic losses for this industry.
State programs for Pfiesteria monitoring
and assessment beginning this spring. Fol-
lowing a meeting with mid- and south At-
lantic state representatives, Federal-State
partnerships will be formed through distri-
bution of Federal funds to individual states
for supplemental program assistance and
I:nT-
the expansion of selected program ele-
ments.
Access to databases and informa-
tion communication. The identification of
databases on bloom incidences, toxin oc-
currence in shellfish, mass mortality events, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia Sea
epidemiology, and the dissemination of this Grant Offices encouraged the public to use
information is a key National Plan objec- their HAB web sites and provided additional
tive. As noted above, the National Office of advisory information during the recent
Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Pfiesteria outbreaks. These Sea Grant Off ices
has a HAB-dedicated web site for distribu- as well as others in Mississippi and New York
tion of all national and international HAB have featured newsletters dedicated to HABs
material. Most Federal agencies also main- to inform the research communities and edu-
tain web sites for distributing agency-spe- cate the public on HAB threats in local regions.
cific information and in the last several NIEHS Centers also distribute results through
years, electronic linkages to HAB web web sites. Further, community participation in
pages have been a focus of several Fed- HAB workshops is also increasing, largely
eral organizations. For example, NOANs through NOAA, NIEHS, USDA, NSF, and EPA
Figure 7. This North Carolina State University researcher is support. The same agencies are identifying
one of a few HAB scientists studying toxic Pfiesteria cells. HAB-related databases, another National Plan
objective, for community access and revision.
Future HAB activity support. Congres-
sional appropriations in FY 1998 and the
President's proposal for 1999 will strengthen i
and enhance critical capabilities to provide
comprehensive research, monitoring, assess-
ment, planning, as well as scientific and tech-
0

p
a
n

n
ng
d
g
ro
t

sse
r

h
e
t

i
h

e
S_@
e

n
de

ss_
dtech_

s
nical support to states and communities (Fig-
to U S
ure 7). One of the greatest threats to U.S.
tioi
coastal areas-nonpoint source pollution,'in'

hFAB.9- 11

11111111111111101911:1 iN I I TF =#* INTAIX"NoYA:YJA
National Plan Objectives NOAA CDC FDA EPA NSF NIEHS USDA DOI
1. Isolate, characterize toxins-FY1998 400K 500K 400K 400K 300K
FY 1999 resources 400K 500K 400K 250K 300K 200K
2. HAB detection methods-FY 1998 300K 1500K 400K 400K 150K 32K 1 OOK
FY 1998 resources 300K 1500K 300K 400K 150K 300K 300K
a Toxin effects on ecosystems1humans-FY 1998 700K 5000K 700K 650K 120K 350K 40K
FY 1999 resources 1700K 5000K 700K , 950K 350K 500K
4. Forecasting capabiliti.-s-FY 1998 2200K 400K--300K 682K
FY1999 resources 3400K 400K 500K 572K
5. Management and mit@qation-FY 1998 500K 700K 700K
FY 1999 resources 1000K 700K 500K 11000K
6. Rapid response to HABs-FY 1998 500K- 2000K 700K 800K I 100K
FY 1999 resources 2200K 2000K 700K 100K
7. Communication, outreach, education-FY 1998 300K 1000K 500K 2K
FY 1999 resources 300K 1000K 500K 10K
8. Databases-FY 1998 400K 400 100K 100K
F 1 resources 800K 100K 100K
TOTAL FY 1998 5.30M 1 O.OOM 1.05M10.65MI2.72M 0 0
_ M.
"20
TOTAL FY 1999 N 0.1 0M 1 0.00M 0.82MI 0.65M OOMIO.

Table 1. Federal agency FY 1998 funding and proposed FY 1999 support for harmful algal bloom research,
monitoring and assessment activities in U.S. coastal waters.
creasingly frequent outbreaks of harmful al- ship of ECOHAB research projects, then 7
gal blooms, and other symptoms of degraded agencies helped draft the National Strategy
coastal ecosystems that adversely impact in response to the recent Pfiestena crisis.
coastal economies-will be efficiently and ef- With such interagency commitment, an inte-
fectively addressed. Agency partners will grated, interagency Algal Bloom Program
continue participating in the multiagency Na- may become a reality in the near future.
tional Pfiesteria Research and Monitoring With the goal of developing a predictive
Strategy and ECOHAB, as well as provide modeling capability for HABs in all U.S.
grants to states, universities, and communi- coastal waters (i.e., HAB predictions like
ties to conduct monitoring and rapid assess- coastal weather forecasts), ECOHAB re-
ments in response to Pfiesteria and other search must rigorously investigate and then
HAB outbreaks. model growth and toxin dynamics of the 7-8
toxic species and regions along the entire
What is the future for a U.S. Inter- U.S. coast. Five-year ECOHAB research
agency HAB Program? projects have just begun on two toxic spe-
cies and regions, Alexandrium in the Gulf of
Although this summary of current activi- Maine and Gymnodinium in the Gulf of
ties suggests that the U.S. has a strong and Mexico. The remainder of the coastline and
active national HAB program, the program other HAB species need investigation. Re-
is just beginning. Commitment to multi- search is needed on brown tide populations
agency coordination of HAB activities by in- in Long Island Sound and off Texas, Pfiestena
in mid- and south Atlantic states, macroalgal
dividual agencies has occurred only during blooms in Florida's and Hawaii's coral reefs,
the last five years, after each realized that ciguatera clinoflagellates in sub-tropical and
no single agency possessed either the funds tropical U.S. possessions, Pseudo-nitzschia
r expertise to respond to the suite of HAB
in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico and along
t'

n
@
5000K

9@@
2K

needs. The initial partnerships among NOAA
lil the west coast, and Chaetoceros and
line off ices for publication of the National Plan Heterosigma in the northwest. These efforts
have since expanded to 3-agency sponsor-
will be the focus of future ECOHAB research
k#%)_-HABs- 12

activities. ing and ameliorating the impacts of these natu-
A critical area in need of major support ral disasters (Figure 8).
that was identified in the National Plan and Finally, there are strong indications that
the recent National Strategy for Pfiesteria is human activities in watersheds of coastal tribu-
better understanding of toxin impacts, both taries may be directly linked to the increasing
acute and chronic, on coastal resources and prevalence and impacts of several HAB spe-
humans. This includes identification of the cies. This implies that coastal eutrophication
toxins and toxic cells in water and tissues; (excess nutrient loads), increased frequency
development of rapid, reliable, and inexpen- of HAB events, and reduced oxygen levels in
sive assays for their field detection; identifi- water (e.g., hypoxia and anoxia in the "dead
cation of biomarkers for monitoring HAB tox- zone" in the Gulf of Mexico) may all be inter-
ins in wildlife and humans; and establishment related. There has been an increasing empha-
of exposure thresholds for toxicity. Addition- sis and coordination among DOC/NOAA, EPA,
ally, development of the medical expertise USDA, and DOI to enhance research capaci-
specific to toxins, toxicology, and treatment ties in these areas. This comprehensive na-
should be addressed. Although some of this tional approach to nutrient inputs and coastal
effort is already underway at the NIEHS Cen- ecosystem responses resulted in a major fo-
ters for research, the CDCP, a USGS labo- cus of the recent Clean Water Action Plan be-
ratory, an FDA laboratory, and two NOAA ing the reduction of excess nutrients from
laboratories, an expanded intra- and extra- nonpoint sources of pollution, particularly in
mural program is needed to gain baseline coastal areas.
information quickly on such complex topics.
Reducing HAB impacts is a major em- SUMMARY
phasis for the emerging national HAB pro-
gram. The National Plan objective to pursue The U.S. has in place a national HAB pro-
prevention, control and mitigation options for gram arising from the framework provided by
our increasing HAB problem is a critical the three focused HAB reports prepared dur-
need. As HABs continue to increase, we ing the past five years. These reports are the
must refocus our goals and research exper- basis for 1) the integrated, multi-agency na-
tise toward developing techniques for detect- tional research program, ECOHAB, 2) a fo-
Figure 8. Enhanced color satellite imagefy is one of cused partnership between CDCP and NIEHS
several tools being refined to detect and track HABs. to significantly expand our capacity to respond
to human health concerns from marine
biotoxins produced by coastal HABs, and 3)
a developing interagency HAB management
program. The Federal government has initi-
ated a rapid assessment capability to assist
states and regions impacted by unexpected
HAB outbreaks. Attention to linkages between
human activities on the land and bloom out-
breaks in receiving waters is a renewed focus
for several agencies (i.e., DOC/NOAA, EPA,
USDA, and DOI). The U.S. HAB science COM-7
munity is vigorously responding to the need
for toxin and HAB detection methods to pro-
vide field assays for most of our algal toxin

HALL&- 13 -

in the near future. Safe seafood for our soci- Toxic marine dinoflagellates, pp. 201-
ety is ensured through the continuous toxin 261. In: Dinoflagellates, D.L. Spector
monitoring and bioassay operations coordi- (ed.) Academic Press, New York.
nated by the FDA. 6. Ahmed, F.E. (ed). 1991. Seafood Safety.
Although much remains to be done there National Academy Press, Washington,
is a firm base provided by our national ex- D.C. 432 pp.
pertise and technologies. The future is full of 7. Bates, S.S., C.J. Bird, A.S.W. deFreitas,
new challenges in HAB research, monitor- R. Foxall, M. Gilgan, L.A. Hanic, G.R.
ing, assessment, and prediction. The Fed- Johnson, A.W. McCulloch, P. Odense, R.
eral agencies are committed to sustaining Pocklington, M.A. Quilliam, P.G. Sim,
their national effort to ensure healthy living J.C. Smith, D.V. Subba Rao, E.C.D.
resources, seafood safety, and sustained Todd, J.A. Walter, and J.L.C. Wright.
economic development in regions impacted 1989. Pennate diatom Nitzschia
by HABs. pungensasthe primary source of domoic
acid, a toxin in shellfish from eastern
CITATIONS Prince Edward Island, Canada. Can. J.
Fish Aquat. Sci. 46:1203-1215.
1. Steidinger, K.A., E.W. Truby, J.K. Garrett, 8. Anderson, D.M. and P.S. Lobel. 1987.
and J.M. Burkholder. 1995. The morphol- The continuing enigma of ciguatera. Biol.
ogy and cytology of a newly discovered Bull. 172:89-107.
toxic dinoflagellate, pp. 83-88. In: P. 9. Geraci, J.R., D.M. Anderson, R.J.
Lassus, G. Arzul, E. Erard-LeDenn, P. Timperi, D.J. St. Aubin, G.A. Early, J.H.
Genlien, and C. Marcaillou-LeBaut Prescott, and C.A. Mayo. 1989. Hump-
(eds.). Harmful Marine Algal Blooms, back whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Lavoisier, Intercept, Ltd. fatally poisoned by dinoflagellate toxin.
2. Burkholder, J.M., E.J. Noga, C.H. Hobbs, Canad. J. Fish. and Aquat. Sci 46:1895-
and H.B. Glasgow Jr. 1992. New "phan- 1898.
tom" dinoflagellate is the causative agent 10. Anderson, D.M. and A.W. White. 1992.
of major estuarine fish kills. Nature Marine biotoxins at the top of the food
358:407-410. chain. Oceans 35:55-61.
3. Burkholder, J.M., H.B. Glasgow, Jr., and 11. Shumway, S.E. 1995. Phycotoxin- related
K.A. Steidinger. 1995. Stage transforma- shellfish poisoning: Bivalve molluscs are
tions in the complex life cycle of an not the only vectors. Reviews in Fisher-
icthyotoxic "ambush-predator" di- ies Science 3:1-31.
noflagellate, pp. 567-572. In: P. Lassus, 12. Shumway, S.E., S. Sherman-Caswell
G. Arzul, E. Erard-LeDenn, P. Genlien, and J.W. Hurst. (1988). Paralytic Shell-
and C. Marcaillou-LeBaut (eds.). Harm- fish Poisoning in Maine: Monitoring a
ful MarineAlgal Blooms, Lavoisier, Inter- monster. J. Shellfish Res. 7:643-652.
cept, Ltd. 13. Boesch, D.F., D.M. Anderson, R.A.
4. Glasgow, H. B. Jr., J.M. Burkholder, D.E. Horner, S.E. Shumway, P.A. Testor, and
Schmechel, P.A. Tester, and P.A. Rublee. T.E. Whitledge. 1997. Harmful Algal
1995. Insidious effects of a toxic di- Blooms in Coastal Waters: Options for
noflagellate on fish survival and human Prevention, Control and Mitigation.
health. J. Toxicol. Environ. Health NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Decision
46:101-122. Analysis Series No. 10. NOAA Coastal
K.A. and D.G. Baden. 1984. Ocean Office, Silver Spring, MD. 46 pp.

s-14
#Qi@;

+ appendix. 23. C. Moncrief, personal communication.
14. Anderson, D.M. (ed.). 1995. ECOHAB, 24. Anderson, D. M. 1989. Toxic algal blooms
The Ecology and Oceanography of and red tides: a global perspective, In: Red
Harmful Algal Blooms: A National Re- Tides: Biology Environmental Science and
search Agenda. Woods Hole Oceano- Toxicology, edited by T. Okaichi, D. M.
graphic Institution, Woods Hole MA. 66 Anderson and T. Nemoto, pp. 11-16,
1010. Elsevier, New York.
15. Nev6, R.A. and P.B. Reichardt. 1984. 25. Smayda, T.J. 1990. Novel and nuisance
Alaska's shellfish industry, pp. 53-58 . phytoplankton blooms in the sea: evidence
In: E.P. Ragelis (ed.), Seafood Toxins. for a global epidemic, pp. 29-40. In: E.
Amer. Chem. Soc. Symp. Ser. Wash- Gran6li, B. Sundstrom, L. Edler, and D.M.
ington, D.C. Anderson (eds.) Toxic Marine Phytoplank-
16. Rensel, J.E., R.A. Horner, and J.R. ton. Elsevier.
Postel. 1989. Effects of phytoplankton 26. Hallegraeff, G.M. 1993. A review of harm-
blooms on salmon aquaculture in Puget ful algal blooms and their apparent global
Sound, Washington: Initial research. increase. Phycologia 32:79-99
Northw. Environ. J. 5:53-69. 27. Hallegraeff, G.M. and C.J. Bolch. 1992.
17. Horner, R.A., J.R. Postel, and J.E. Transport of diatom and dinoflagellate rest-
Rensel. 1991. Noxious phytoplankton ing spores via ship's ballast water: impli-
blooms and marine salmon culture in cations for plankton biogeography and
Puget Sound, Washington. In: J.R. aquaculture. J. Plankton Res. 14:1067-
Forbes (ed.), Pacific Coast Research 1084.
on Toxic Marine Algae. Canadian Tech- 28. Baden, D.G., T.J. Mende, M. A. Poli and
nical Report on Hydrographic Ocean R.E. Block. 1984. Toxins from Florida's red
Science 135:59-61. tide dinoflagellate, Ptychodiscus brevis. p.
18. Shurnway, S.E. 1988. A review of the 359-367. In: E. Ragelis (ed.) Seafood Tox-
effects of algal blooms on shellfish and ins. Amer. Chem. Soc. Symposium Series.
aquaculture. Journal of the World Washington, D.C.
Aquaculture Society 21:65-104. 29. Anderson, D.M., Kulis, D.M., Doucette,
19. Kahn, J. and M. Rochel. 1988. Mea- G.J., Gallagher, J.C., Balech, E. 1994. Bio-
suring the economic effects of brown geography of toxic dinoflagellates in the
tides. Journal of Shellfish Research genus Alexandrium from the northeastern
7:677-682. United States and Canada. Marine Biol-
20. L. Callinowski, personal communica- ogy 120:467-478.
tion. 30. Smayda, T.J. 1989. Primary production
21. Habas, E.J. and C.K. Gilbert. 1974. The and the global epidemic of phytoplankton
economic effects of the 1971 Florida blooms in the sea: a linkage? pp. 213-228.
red tide and the damage it presages In.: E. M. Cosper, E. J. Carpenter and M.
for future occurrences. Environmertal Bricelj (eds.). Novel Phytoplankton
Letters 6: 139-147. Blooms: Causes and Impacts of Recur-
22. Tester, P.A., R.P. Stumpf, F.M. rent Brown Tide and Other Unusual
Vukovich, P.K. Fowler, and J.T. Turner. Blooms. Springer-Verlag, New York.
1991. An expatriate red tide bloom: 31. Burkholder, J.M. and H. B. Glasgow. (in
I

Transport, distribution, and persistence. press). The toxic ambush-predator di
Limnology and Oceanography 36: noflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida: behav-
1053-1061. ior, impacts, and environmental controls

-HABs- 15 -

In: D. M. Anderson, A.D. Cembella, and marine phytoplankton, zooplankton graz-
G. M. Hallegraeff (eds.). Physiological ers, and pelagic food webs. Limnology
Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms. and Oceanography 42(5):1203-1214.
Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg.
32. Anderson, D.M., S.B. Galloway, and J.D. APPENDIX I
Joseph. 1993. Marine Biotoxins and
Harmful Algae: A National Plan. Woods Federal HAB-related Projects/Pro-
Hole Oceanographic Institution Techni- grams. Numerous projects/programs related
cal Report WHOI-93-02, NMFS and to HABs are underway in Federal off ices and
NOAA COP, Woods Hole, MA. 44 pp. 29. laboratories; descriptions of primary HAB ef-
33. Garrison D.L., S.M. Conrad, P.P. Eilers, forts follow.
and E.M. Waldron. 1992. Confirmation of DOC/NOAA
domoic acid production by Pseudo- Coastal Ocean Program (COP) is co-
nitzschia australis (Bacillariophyceae) ordinating the competitive, federal, inter-
cultures. J. Phycol. 28:604-607. agency research program, ECOHAB, imple-
34. Ragelis, E.P. 1984. Ciguatera seafood mented to determine environmental factors
poisoning: overview, pp. 25-36. In: E.P. and cellular mechanisms responsible for
Ragelis (ed.). Seafood Toxins, Amer. HAB events in U.S. coastal waters. This part-
Chem. Soc. Symp. Ser. No. 262, Wash- nership of DOC/NOAA, NSF, EPA, USDA and
ington, D.C.. ONR, is focused on identification of those
35. Juranovic, L. R. and D. L. Park. 1991. factors favoring growth and accumulation of
Foodborne toxins of marine origin: HAB species in order to develop predictive
ciguatera. Rev. Environ. Toxicol. 117: 51 - models for forecasting bloom events.
94. ECOHAB's m u Iti-discipl i nary, long-term
36. Anderson, D.M. (1997). Turning back projects link circulation of specific systems
the harmful red tide. Nature 388:513-514. with the ecophysiol-
37. Buskey, I.J., S. Stewart, J. Peterson, and ogy of individual taxa,
C. Collumb. 1996. Effects of a persistent yielding a biophysical ECOHAB
"brown tide" on zooplankton populations description of bloom
in the Laguna Madre of south Texas, pp. formation, termination
659-666. In: TJ. Smayda and Y. Shimizu and toxicology. Pres-'
(eds.). Toxic Phytoplankton Blooms in the
ently, two regional
Sea. Elsevier, Amsterdam. blooms are being ex-
38. Sieburth, J.McN., P.W. Johnson & P.E. amined (Gulf of
Hargraves. 1988. Ultrastructure and ecol- Maine and the Gulf of
ogy of Aureococcus anophageffe-rens Mexico), leaving ap-
gen. et sp. nov. (Chrysophyceae): the proximately two-thirds
dominant picoplankter during a bloom in of the U.S. coastline
Narragansett Bay. J. Phycol. 24:416-425. and the associated al- Figure 9. The basis for a U.S.
39. Cosper, E.M., W.C. Dennison, E.J. Car- gal blooms to be ad- HAB coastal research program.
penter, V.M. Bricelj, J.G. Mitchell, and dressed in future ECOHAB projects. COP,
S.H. Kuenstner. 1987. Recurrent and in partnership with EPA, also drafted the Na-
persistent brown tide blooms perturb tional Strategy. Further, COP sponsored the
coastal marine ecosystem. Estuaries comprehensive report on prevention, control
10:284-290. and mitigation of HABs, developed this Con-
40. Turner, J.T. and P.A. Tester. 1997. Toxic gressional report, and provides financial sup-
161- - - V-,-
,Bs- 16

port for the National HAB Office and the I n- samples (e.g., cell-based receptor and re-
ternational Oceanographic Commission's porter gene assays), and research on mo-
(IOC) HA News (an international newsletter lecular mechanisms controlling growth in di-

IOC Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Al- role of bacteria in
on HABs). COP represents the U.S. on the noflagellates, the

gal Blooms and the APEC Marine Resource bloom dynamics -dool
Conservation Working Group, and actively and toxin produc-
works in establishing bilateral HAB agree- tion and effects of
ments with its international partners. algal toxins on re- @114
Sea Grant Program. With its role in productive health
marine research, education, advisory ser- of fisheries spe-
vices and public outreach, Sea Grant exper- cies. Beaufort, with Figure 10. NOAA's Charleston
tise and its network of local experts plays a expertise in cultur- Laboratofy scientist identifies HABs.
major role during HAB events. Sea Grant has ing toxic phytoplankton and assessing the
long supported individual investigators study- ramifications of biotoxins in marine food
ing local HAB problems (e.g., research first webs '40 has been actively involved in G.
identifying Pfiesteria in North Carolina) and breve research since 1987 and now
this support has built the foundation for sev- Pfiesteria. Highlights include a new tech-
eral of the large regional HAB field projects. nique for brevetoxin determination (sensitive
A series of articles recently published by capillary electrophoresis with laser detec-
Maryland Sea Grant (e.g., In Harm's Way? tion), a feasibility study on the use of phy-
The Threat of Toxic Algae; Harmful Algal toplankton pigments and absorption spectra
Blooms on the Move; and The Trouble with as potential biomarkers for G. breve, calibrat-
Toxics in the Bay) explained to readers the ing data and calculating algorithms for the
latest information on algal blooms, particu- Sea WiFS ocean-color satellite sensor for
larly those in the Chesapeake Bay region and monitoring HABs. Oxford Lab is a center of
the role of the complex of Pfiesteria-like or- expertise for invertebrate pathology and ma-
ganisms in fish mortalities in the Pocomoke rine fish diseases with numerous publications
River. Sea Grant programs in Maine, Mas- (e.g., a Manual on Histologic Techniques, a
sachusetts, New York, Florida, Texas, Wash- standard for processing fish and shellfish,
ington, North Carolina, and Alaska have re- and the Registry of Marine Pathology cata-
leased similar materials on HABs from those loguing fish diseases. Oxford Lab has been
areas of the country. Sea Grant workshops monitoring and studying the recent outbreak
in Maryland and North Carolina on Pfiesteria of fish lesions and mortalities in Chesapeake
problems were instrumental in easing public Bay. The Great Lakes Environmental Re-
concerns over the threat from this harmful search Laboratory (GLERL) conducts re-
dinoflagellate. search on the status and causes of eutrophi-
NOAA laboratories (at Charleston, cation, which can lead to HABs in coastal
Beaufort, Oxford, Great Lakes, and Seattle) ecosystems, and the recent occurrence of
conduct research on coastal HABs and their HABs in the Great Lakes. Highlights include
impacts. Charleston's HAB research focuses long-term nutrient dynamics and modeling
on structural chemistry, biochemistry, toxicol- studies on key Great Lakes ecosystems and
ogy and phycology of PSP, NSP, ASP, IDSP, video documentation of zebra mussel ability
I

ciguatera and Pfiesteria toxins. Highlights in- to selectively feed on nontoxic algal cells
clude toxin purification and methods for de- while rejecting toxic HAB cells. GLERL in
tecting toxins in seafood and environmental vestigators participate in HAB-related re

HA99- 17

search in the Gulf of Mexico (e.g., nutrient terize the condition of the Nation's resources,
inputs to the Gulf of Mexico from the Missis- including those related to HABs.
sippi outflow and the relationship to hypoxia) The National Health and Environmental Ef-
and are also involved in the ECOHAB: Florida fects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) Gulf
project in the Gulf of Mexico (e.g., determin- Ecology Division (GED) has recently estab-
ing the autecology of G. breve). Northwest lished a new multidisciplinary HAB research
Fisheries Science Center biotoxin research team with objectives for FY98 that include 1)
is focused and integrates methodology, food establishing a state-of-the-art HAB Experi-
web interactions, species susceptibility and mental Culture Exposure Facility and 2) de-
coastal ecosystem health. Recent highlights veloping rapid response and monitoring ca-
include development of new receptor bind- pabilities for HAB events in the Gulf of
ings and DNA probes for toxin and toxic al- Mexico. The HAB team will collaborate with
gae detection, studies of toxin transfer the GED's Coastal Eutrophication Team to
through the food web, and culture studies to better define and understand the suggested
determine effects of nutrients on toxin pro- causative link between increased nutrient
duction. loading and HAB phenomena. Recently, a
EPA Harmful Algal Bloom page was added to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Gulf of Mexico Aquatic Mortality Response
Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Network (GMNET) at http:Hpelican.gmpo.
Development (ORD) is presently cooperat- gov/gmneVgmhome.html). Finally, GED is
ing with NOAA and others in supporting re- working to obtain funding for a proposed
search concerning toxic algal blooms as one study of HAB formation and transport in the
of the cosponsors of the ECOHAB Program. Gulf of Mexico.
Figure 11. EMA P scientists test Further, EPA has been ORD will be involved in assessing the pos-
water qualfir in U.S. estuaries. NOANs primary partner in re- sible adverse effects of specific toxins on
sponding to recent White laboratory rodents and to evaluate the neu-
House and Congressional re- rological effects of Pfiesteria toxins on North
quests for HAB activities, ex- Carolina watermen. ORD also proposes to
emplified by the EPA/NOAA conduct studies to assess the efficacy of its
partnership in allocating screening methodologies in evaluating the
$500,000 in the summer of potential neurotoxicity to HAB toxins to
1997 for rapid response to aquatic animals.
fish lesions and mortalities, EPA's Office of Water. Many of the pro-
and public health concerns grams in the Office of Water address non-
linked to Pfiesteria in the point sources of pollution that have been im-
Chesapeake. Further, EPA plicated as causes for many HAB events. The
and NOAA led the effort to National Estuary Program (NEP) includes 28
draft the National Strategy and distribute estuaries around the country. All 28 estuar-
FY98 funds for State monitoring and assess- ies have characterized nutrient over-enrich-
ment programs for HABs. In 1997, EPA also ment problems and several have identified
provided funds to North Carolina to estab- HABs as priority concerns. In fact, the
lish a rapid response team. Additionally, Albemarle-Pamlico Sound Estuary Program
lx@ EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assess- was the site of the discovery of Pfiesteria.
ment Program (EMAP) and NOAA`s National EPAs National Nutrient Strategy is being
Status and Trends Program have developed completed to strengthen our ability to assess
and tested appropriate methods to charac- and control nutrient over-enrichment in the

S-18

nation's waters. This strategy summarizes the derstanding of the direct and indirect causes
direction the EPA recommends with respect of HABs and their ecological consequences
to developing water quality criteria to address through research on the physiological and
over-enrichment problems. Concentrated Ani- ecological basis of bloom formation, the
mal Feeding Operations (CAFO) is an EPA physical and chemical attributes of coastal
regulatory program whose aim is to ensure oceans that facilitate I
that discharges from large feeding operations them, the population *
have National Pollutant Discharge Elimina- attributes of bloom
tion System (NPDES) permits. It is anticipated species, and the A NOMW Pl-
that the program will support the development long-term conse-
and promotion of improved methods to dis- quences of ecosys- 0
pose of animal waste. tem changes. NSF
d the re-
The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) cosponsored the re-
program addresses waterbodies listed by port ECOHAB The
States as impaired and for which pollution ecology and ocean-
controls are not stringent enough to achieve ography of harmful
water quality standards applicable to such algal blooms a na-
waters. Under the TMDL program we can tional research
identify which rivers or estuaries are listed by agenda and contin-
the States as impaired due to nutrients or ues to cooperate with Figure 12- The National Plan. sI
other HAB indicators and whether a TMDIL NOAA by providing the basis for a U.S. HAB program.
has been established to adequately reduce funding for the ECOHAB Program through
the nutrient loadings from all sources. The the NSF Division of Ocean Sciences, Bio-
Tri-chemical Action Plan includes several re- logical Oceanography Program. The Biologi-
cent and pending air regulations which will cal Oceanography Program also supports
reduce air emissions (and deposition) of vari- other HAB-related research as part of its
ous forms of nitrogen as well as propose ad- regular research program. In addition, the
ditional actions that should be taken to fur- NSF Division of Biological Infrastructure and
ther reduce nitrogen loadings from air emis- the Biological Oceanography provide support
sions, other nonpoint sources, and wastewa- for the Provasoli-Guillard National Center for
ter discharges. Under the Clean Water Act Culture of Marine Phytoplankton (CCMP), a
�319 Nonpoint Source Management Pro- repository for phytoplankton cultures includ-
grams, EPA provides funding, guidance and ing HAB species.
technical assistance to States in their efforts DOD-ONR
to minimize nutrients, from nonpoint sources. Office of Naval Research (ONR) sup-
Beaches Environmental Assessment Closure ports research related to the mission of the
and Health (B.E.A.C.H.) is an initiative to im- U.S. Navy and to develop improved under-
prove the safety of recreational waters in the standing of the environment (e.g., optical
U.S. through improved public right to know properties of surface waters) in which the
about the quality of swimming waters; devel- Navy must operate. As part of this research,
opment of appropriate warning systems and ONR has been cooperating with NOAA and
improved monitoring strategies for fresh wa- others in providing support for the ECOHAB
ter and marine/estuarine beach scenarios. Program.
NSF NASA
National Science Foundation (NSF) is National Aeronautics and Space Add-
concerned with developing basic scientific un- ministration (NASA) has recently becom

HAM- 19 -
*X,

an advisor to ECOHAB because of its strong agencies (e.g.,
commitment and interest to remote detec- Food and Drug
tion of surface pigment, as found in some Administration,
HABs. With the successful orbiting and op- National Institute
eration of SeaWifs and long-term commit- of Environmental
ment to determining surface distributions of Health Sciences
phytoplankton biomass and productivity in U.S. Environmen- Figure 13. This CDC scientist is iso-
space and time, NASA:s partnership is timely tal Protection lating HAB toxins in human tissues.
and beneficial to the national HAB effort. Agency) with the goal of planning a
DOWSGS coordinated, comprehensive multi-state
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), as part public health program to provide scientifically
of its contribution to the Chesapeake Bay valid information on health effects of
Program, is conducting field sampling, labo- Pfiesteria exposure. The recent
ratory analyses and building a Geographical Congressional allocation of $10 million will
Information System data base on the rela- provide funds necessary for state-specific
tionship between nutrient inputs in the wa- surveys to be implemented and compiled for
tershed and Chesapeake Bay water quality. detailing symptoms of HAB exposures.
USGS's Biological Resources Division has NIH-NIEHS
begun investigations to determine factors National Institute of Environmental
contributing to fish lesions (e.g., the complex Health Sciences (NIEHS) addresses
of Pfiestera-like organisms) in selected tribu- potential human health impacts of Pfiesteria
taries of the Chesapeake Bay. Scientists from and other HABs through response, research,
the USGS Center for Marine and Coastal Ge- and prevention. NIEHS responded immedi-
ology in Woods Hole, MA, are actively in- ately to the public health threat posed by
volved in the ECOHAB-Gulf of Maine re- Pfiesteria by assisting state health
gional study, providing mooring equipment departments in their efforts to address this
and expertise, and developing coupled physi- problem and by enabling scientists to
cal/biological models of Alexandrium dynam- interact more effectively NIEHS research
ics in the large region between the Cana- includes both basic studies to identify and
dian border and Massachusetts. characterize relevant toxins and their
HHS-CDC associated biological effects as well as
Centers for Disease Control and clinical and epidemiological research to
Prevention (CDC), as the Nation's disease define more accurately exposure and health
prevention agency, has a monitoring, effects. NIEHS prevention efforts include
advisory and public communication role support of assay development for improved
regarding human health concerns and identification and early detection and
harmful algal blooms. As an example, CDC monitoring of the organism and toxin.
recently collaborated with off icials from state In August 1997, NIEHS received a
health departments (i.e., Delaware, Florida, request from Senators Mikulski and
Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Sarbanes to help investigate fish kills in the
Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia and the Pocomoke River of southeastern Maryland.
District of Columbia) and held a September Representatives from NIEHS and CDC,
1997 Workshop on the Public Health visited the a workshop on "Hazardous
@A

Response to Pfiesteria. The CDC brought Mari ne/Freshwater Microbes and Toxins,"
together representatives of state health where researchers, regulators, federal
*partments and the relevant federal representatives, and state health and
HAE
-HABs- 20

environmental officials met and discussed tection of Pfiesteria, obtain information on risk
their current understanding of a variety of factors and exposure levels for human health
hazardous toxins. This workshop was the effects, and clarify putative neurologic effects.
first that enabled Pfiesteria and other This multidisciplinary approach is an inte-
marine toxin researchers to meet, grated effort to examine systematically the key
exchange information, and identify research questions that must be answered in
research gaps. order to improve our understanding of both
As part of its Center Program, NIEHS the environmental and public health conse-
supports a network of Marine and Fresh- quences of Pfiesteria. Results from this and
water Biomedical Sciences (MFBS) Cen- related research will lead to development of
ters across the country. Two of these are diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative strat-
active in the area of Pfiesteria and HAB egies.
research. The University of Miami MFBS FDA
Center, long noted for its work in marine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is
toxins, is engaged in isolating and charac- responsible for ensuring safe seafood for con-
terizing Pfiesteria toxins. The Duke Univer- sumption and, therefore, has well-established
sity MFBS Center has focused on under- programs of research, management, and pub-
standing possible biological effects arising lic information regarding HABs as they relate
from exposure to Pfiesteria-laden waters. to toxicity in seafood. There are ongoing re-
The NIEHS intramural program has search programs dealing with PSP, NSP, ASP,
provided assistance to scientists from North DSP, and ciguatera. Prior to 1997, the possi-
Carolina State University, NOAA National bility that Pfiesteria had seafood safety impli-
Marine Fisheries Service in Charleston, cations was being addressed by closely fol-
South Carolina, and NIEHS to collaborate lowing research being done in other laborato-
on isolating Pfiesteria toxin. ries. With the dramatic intensification of this
To stimulate prevention research, issue, research has been started in-house with
NIEHS recently awarded $400,000 to a collaboration from other laboratories to clarify
consortium composed of leading investiga- whether or not toxins from Pfiesteria can ac-
tors in both basic and clinical research re- cumulate in seafood and cause illness in hu-
lated to Pfiesteria. This award will bring man consumers. In general, FDA research
together researchers at the NIEHS MFBS laboratories culture toxic marine organisms,
Center at the University of Miami, headed then isolate and characterize the toxins they
by Dan Baden, Ph.D., and at the Univer- produce. With a continuing supply of the tox-
sity of Maryland School of Medicine, ins thus assured, FDA labs develop detection
headed by Glenn Morris, M.D., M.P.H., to methods for the toxins and examine their tox-
examine the potential public health impact icity to provide a basis for regulatory policy.
of this organism collaboratively. This project FDA researchers also address the broader is-
plans to purify and characterize toxins, ex- sue of effective management strategy, and are
Figure 14. This NIEHS scientist centri- amine their currently exploring the utility of networks of field
fuges HAB cells for toxicology studies. effects i n observers who take phytoplankton samples
'I model sys- and gather relevant environmental information.
71 tems, de- Such networks are now in place with FDA co-
velop a ge- ordination in California, Maine, and Massachu-
netic assay setts, and show great promise as a strat,,_
for identifica- for reducing the cost and improving the r Ii
tion and de- ability of marine biotoxin monitoring programs

HAB-9-21 -

The FDA supports community. Regarding HAB problems, NOPP
established monitor- recently supported a 2-year project, Guff of
ing programs world- Mexico Ocean Monitoring System, to gener-
@W wide through the pro- ate continual surface ocean current veloci-
duction and distribu- ties in the Gulf. This effort, a collaboration
tion of reference between the Dynalysis Corporation, several
standards, expert as- Federal agencies and the university research
sistance, and quality community, will generate critically needed
assurance checks of surface current distributions that are likely re-
Figure 15. FDA-trained volunteers laboratories. Marine sponsible for distributing G. breve, a toxic
che p n ton samples for HABs- blotoxin monitoring in HAB that has plagued local coastal re-
the U.S. is conducted primarily through co- sources, economies, and public health in
operative programs with the states under the Florida and the northern Gulf States, along
guidance of the FDA. The FDA provides pub- the coastline of the southern United States.
lic information and education through its Sea-
food Hotline telephone service, a web page
that includes discussion of marine biotoxin
issues, and tradition channels such as the
print media and public information special-
ists.
USDA
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The strong linkages between land-use, nu-
trient loads and watershed conditions are
major concerns for this agency (Figure 16)
and have led to USDA!s advisory role in
ECOHAB. There is an intensive watershed
assessment program, providing water qual-
ity data critical for HAB prediction. Future ef-
forts will identify agricultural activities likely
favoring HAB expression, leading to applica-
tion of best management practices (BMPs)
for these critical activities.
NOPP
National Ocean Partnership Program
(NOPP). This congressionally mandated part- Figure 16. USDA scientists study land-use links to HABs and
nership of 12 federal agencies promotes its advise farmers on nutrient abatement measures.
goals of assuring national security, advanc-
ing economic development, protecting qual-
ity of life, and strengthening science educa-
tion and communication through improved
knowledge of the ocean by coordinating and
strengthening partnerships among Federal
agencies, academia, industry, and other
members of the oceanographic scientific
k - Bs- 22
%*,HA f

PHOTO CREPIT5 AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTE)

We are pleased to thank the following contributors for their high quality and expres-
sive photographs on various aspects of U.5. HA139. Without their contributed body of
work, we could hardly have prepared such a striking format to help us draw public atten-
tion to this subject of national concern. The authors on behalf of their federal agencies
thank you one and all.

Cover photos of manatees were provided by the Department of Environmental
Protection's Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI); title page photo of a fish kill
from FMRI; page 1 title background photo of a fish kill from J. 13urkholder; Figure 1 from
NOAA slide files; Figure 2 from 13. Lapointe; "ambush predator" photo of menhaden with
lesions from J. Burkholder; Figure 3 from 0. Early; Figure 4 from FMRI; Figure 6 dead
pelican photo from T. Work and dead manatees with ice lying on top of the carcasses
from FMRI; brown tide blooms photo from T. Whitledge; harmful cyamobacterial blooms
Alp sailing through turbid waters from FMRI; diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
photo of r
photo of a plate of mussels from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute's HAB web page;
Figure 7from J. Burkholder, HA13 fish kills from J. Rimes; Figures 8 and 10 from P Teotor,
Figure 11 from J. Hyland; Figure 13 from M. McGeehin; Figure 14 from A. Pearry; Figure 15
from 5. Hall; Figure 16 from NOAA elide files; inside cover HA13 graphic, drawn and pro-
vided by P. Anderson.

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