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HAB Community to Develop a West Coast HAB Monitoring and Forecasting System to Lessen Impacts on Public Health, Marine Life, and Coastal Economies
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Eighty leading scientists, managers, and industry representatives came together February 10-12, 2009 for the first time in a regional forum, and endorsed the vision of the West Coast Governors’ Agreement (WCGA) call for a West Coast regional harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring, alert and response network and forecasting system. Seizing on the opportunities of new and emerging technologies, this system will provide advanced early warning of HABs, minimize fishery closures, protect the economy of coastal communities, mitigate the impacts to marine life, and continue to protect public health. Outcomes from the workshop will be incorporated into an implementation plan that will be presented to the WCGA member states. This Summit was sponsored by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Oregon Sea Grant, Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System, Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System, Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems, and the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. For more information, visit http://www.cop.noaa.gov/west_coast_summit, or contact Alan Lewitus at (301) 713-3338 x178 or Alan.Lewitus@noaa.gov.page text goes here