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.

Bulletins will be transitioned to operational status by 2021 and was identified as one of the highest priority projects through the NOAA Ecological Forecasting Initiative based on:

• Needs expressed by stakeholders
• Maturity of the science
• National significance

Funding for the PNW HAB Bulletin is provided by NCCOS Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms (MERHAB) program with additional support from NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and 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.