A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PERSPECTIVE ON HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS

Understanding the complexity of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their impacts on marine resources requires collaborations that overlaps a variety of disciplines, agencies, and regions. Ongoing monitoring efforts by California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS) and the Central and Northern Coastal Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) provide the basis for evaluating and assessing the potential of marine biotoxins within commercially and recreationally important fisheries along the California coastline. These programs focus efforts on a particular marine resource (CDPH, farmed and recreationally harvested bivalves) or on a specific toxin (domoic acid only for SCCOOS) to meet regulatory requirements or funding shortfalls that constrain sample collection and processing. Since 2001, prevalence and persistence of offshore toxic blooms, particularly of domoic acid, has compounded this problem and additional monitoring efforts are needed to assess potential risks to consumers and inform seafood advisories within the state. Finding opportunities to collaborate with the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Group (CalCOFI) and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) can help assess the potential risks to our marine resources and seafood consumers, and provide novel opportunities for data collection and sharing. This presentation is focused on three main points: 1) providing an overview on the HAB monitoring efforts in southern California, 2) discussing the potential impact on California fisheries, and 3) providing input on how CalCOFI and SWFSC can be engaged in HAB monitoring.