Olympic Region Harmful Algal Blooms

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PNW HAB Bulletin

pacific Northwest HAB Bulletin

 ORHAB provides beach and offshore data for the Pacific Northwest HAB Bulletin (PNW HAB) which provides an early warning of HABs to coastal shellfish managers. Data for the PNW HAB Bulletin, including abundance of the toxic diatom, Pseudo-nitzschia (PN) and the toxin, particulate domoic acid (pDA), are collected by ship from HAB hotspots, the Juan de Fuca Eddy and Heceta Bank, at beaches in Washington and Oregon, and from coastal moorings. The direction of Pseudo-nitzschia transport from the HAB hotspots to beaches depends upon coastal winds that promote upwelling or downwelling. Models will provide information about the location and intensity of the Columbia River plume (see figure above) that can act as a barrier or facilitator for HAB transport to beaches (see University of Washington Live Ocean Model). These Bulletins will allow coastal managers to better protect shellfish safety in the communities by opening selective beaches, collecting additional shellfish samples (Dungeness crab, clams, and mussels) for testing when needed, and providing advanced notice of HABs to the public.

Funding for the PNW HAB Bulletin is provided through U.S. IOOS for a National HAB Observing Network (NHABON), by the NCCOS Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms (MERHAB) program, and with additional support from the Olympic Region HAB (ORHAB) partnership.

The PNW Bulletin was developed with more than 15 years of funding from the NOAA National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) sponsored research programs, Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) and Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms (MERHAB). Additional funding and support was provided by the National Science Foundation, ECOHAB program, NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative, the Centers for Disease Control, University of Washington, Washington State Department of Health, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Quinault Indian Nation, and Makah Tribe.

Click on the year to see PNW HAB Bulletins below.

2023
  • November 20, 2023
  • October 23, 2023
  • October 9, 2023
  • September 25, 2023
  • May 31, 2023
  • May 16, 2023
  • April 16, 2023
  • April 2, 2023
2022
  • April 7, 2022
  • April 21, 2022
  • May 26, 2022
  • September 15, 2022
  • October 3, 2022
  • November 1, 2022

Archived bulletins from 2008-2011, 2017-2021 can be found at this link: http://www.nanoos.org/products/habs/forecasts/bulletins.php

PNW HAB Bulletin partners:

http://www.nanoos.org/products/habs/forecasts/partners.php

PNW HAB Bulletins

2023

November 20, 2023
October 23, 2023
October 9, 2023
September 25, 2023
May 31, 2023
May 16, 2023
April 16, 2023
April 2, 2023

2022

November 1, 2022
October 3, 2022
September 15, 2022
May 26, 2022
April 21, 2022
April 7, 2022

 

Media

The following media reports were made possible through collaboration with ORHAB:

  • — Stressed out – Dungeness crab in the Pacific Northwest (National Marine Sanctuary, November 2022)

  • — Harmful Algal Blooms – Early Warning Systems to the Rescue (FishSens Magazine, February 28, 2022)

  • — Autonomous Offshore HAB sampling surveys (NOAA NCCOS, 2021)

  • — Washington’s razor clam season shut down by hazardous algal blooms (Crosscut, March 31, 2021)

  • — As Algae Blooms Increase, Scientists Seek Better Ways to Predict These Toxic Tides (Science News, 28 August 2018)

  • — HAB Forecast Gives Washington Confidence to Proceed with Razor Clam Festival (NCCOS, 19 April 2018)

  • — Record-setting Razor Clam Harvest Aided by Pacific Northwest HAB Forecast (NCCOS, 20 June 2017)

 

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Olympic Region Harmful Algal Blooms

P.O. Box 1628 Forks, WA 98331

orhab@uw.edu | 360-374-3220

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