HABs Programs and Data
HABs are monitored using two general approaches by scientists and resource managers: (1) monitoring impacts of HABs on (1) lower trophic level organisms like shellfish, (2) higher trophic level organisms like marine mammals, and (3) monitoring the presence of HAB species or toxins in the environment through water sampling.
The WCOA HABs indicator is focused on data linked to impacts compared to data describing the presence of HAB species or toxins in the environment because the mere presence of HAB species or toxins in water samples does not necessarily mean that a harmful impact has occurred. Water sampling serves an important purpose and helps to understand the geographic distribution of various HAB species and toxins, seasonal patterns in blooms and also serves as an indicator of increasing risk of negative impacts of HABs on the environment.
Three main methods are used to measure, assess, and predict harmful algal blooms (HABs):
HAB Toxin Concentrations in Shellfish
Water Sampling
HABs-related Marine Mammal Strandings
There are many excellent Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) monitoring and assessment programs that operate at different spatial scales and use methods different from those of the West Coast Ocean Health Dashboard HABs Indicator. Learn more below!
California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (NOAA), Ecological Integrity
Program and Timeline: The California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment examines the bioaccumulation of domoic acid (a HAB toxin) as an element of ecosystem integrity. Domoic acid concentrations in Dungeness crab and razor clams are assessed for all of the West Coast, except Southern California where these species are generally not present. Data availability spans from 1989 to 2023, with the availability varying by species and location.
Geography: West Coast-wide, excluding Southern California.
Alignment with the West Coast Ocean Alliance HABs indicator: The California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment assesses the status and 5-year trend of domoic acid concentrations in Dungeness crab and razor clams in relation to the long-term historical average.
Data access: All data is available on their NMFS/SWFSC oceanview ERDDAP server.
CDC's One Health Harmful Algal Bloom System
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Data access: No direct data access.
Summary reports to 2021 are available here.
Pacific Northwest HABs Bulletin
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SoundToxins
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Washington Biotoxin Monitoring, Washington Department of Health
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Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Oregon Department of of Fish and Wildlife
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Oregon Biotoxin Monitoring, Oregon Department of Agriculture
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California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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California Department of Public Health Biotoxin Reports
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California Ocean Protection Council Annual State of the Coast and Ocean Report
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California Imaging FlowCytobot Network
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California Marine HAB-Related Illness Tracking
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California Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Alert Program
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CalEPA Office of Health Hazard Assessment: Indicators of Climate Change in California
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California HABs Bulletin
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HABs Stories
Harmful algae can contaminate seafood and drinking water with toxins, make humans and marine wildlife very sick, slow tourism, damage the environment, and kill fish.
