CSCOR HAB Event Response Program Description

With the U.S. facing impacts from harmful algae, State and Federal managers are increasingly leading efforts to respond to major coastal resource or public health impacts associated with harmful algae blooms. NOAA has recognized a need to ensure that top harmful algal scientists are available to support State and Federal response efforts. Involvement of researchers is critical to ensure proper scientific documentation of a HAB event and to assist managers determine whether animal disease or mortality events are linked to HABs and whether algal toxins pose human health risks.

NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR) is exploring the extent of this need through a pilot project in partnership with the National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, part of the Cooperative Institute for Coastal Ocean Research (CICOR). This partnership, supported by the CSCOR Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms (MERHAB) program, will coordinate technical assistance from the research community in support of efforts to respond to major coastal resource or human health impacts in which harmful algae are implicated. This partnership will raise the visibility within the research community of the need to support HAB event response and will contribute to our understanding about these, as yet, unpredictable events.

Upon notification of an event that requires an unanticipated, immediate HAB response, CSCOR will collaborate with the National Office to identify the best available scientists or facilities to assist management officials, and/or provide supplemental financial/ technical support to investigate a unique event. A request for assistance may be initiated by scientists or management officials. Since limited MERHAB funding is available, only modest requests to help defray costs of immediate mobilization of sampling, supplies, and analytical services will be considered. In kind contributions from ongoing research or management efforts are encouraged as part of the response. Further, due to limited resources CSCOR will primarily support requests which address the following high priority events:

• Appearance of species, toxicity or harmful impacts which are unusual or unique for a particular U.S. coastal region or which may lead to new discoveries in HAB science. Focus should be on HABs that pose threats to public health and/or economically vital resources.

• Sudden or unexplained mortalities of seabirds, fish, or marine mammals for which a HAB linkage is suspected but which requires confirmation through additional sampling or observations.

• HAB events with major management or resource impacts for which additional data such as the size or extent of the outbreak, causative species, hydrographic characteristics of the associated water mass will be of use in subsequent management decisions.

Potential applicants should first contact Marc Suddleson, MERHAB Manager or his colleague Quay Dortch, ECOHAB Coordinator, to discuss the event. They will consult with Dr. Donald Anderson, Director of the National Office and other members of the HAB community, as necessary, to determine a recommended course of action. If through these initial contacts it is determined that there is a potential for event response support the applicant will be asked to submit a formal request to Marc Suddleson via the e-mail address below. Requests for MERHAB response support should include a description of the event/impacts, the need for urgency, the intended response plan, a curriculum vitae for the principal, a listing of other managers or researchers involved, and an explanation of assistance/support needed. If funds are requested, a brief budget and budget justification must be included. CSCOR-funded researchers should also indicate why supplemental support is needed. Reporting important preliminary results to the MERHAB manager will be required via e-mail during an approved response and a brief, written final report will also be required. Due to current program funding and staffing limitations, requests for assistance can only be considered during normal working hours. For inquiries about this program or notification of an event please contact Marc Suddleson or Quay Dortch via e-mail at CSCOR.HAB_Event_Response@noaa.gov.

Last Updated: June 2, 2004