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Harmful Algal Blooms FAQ

HABs FAQ cover imageOcean Science Trust recently announced the release of: Frequently Asked Questions: Harmful Algal Blooms and California Fisheries. The document is designed to serve as a resource to build common understanding across all engaged in this issue, and provide clarity on the State’s current practices (through July 2016) to harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring and management, and seafood toxin sampling and testing protocols.

The document was informed by questions submitted to Ocean Science Trust by the Interagency HAB Task Force, along with input from the California Dungeness Crab Task Force Executive Committee, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, the office of California Senator Mike McGuire, and the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. Additionally, a public conference call was held on July 27, 2016 to further engage with the fishing industries involved and other interested parties. A key themes summary and audio recording of this call is available on the Harmful Algal Blooms and Fisheries webpage on the Ocean Science Trust website.

As a next step, this document will be submitted to the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture during a public hearing scheduled for 1pm on Wednesday, August 10. For more details, click here. Following the hearing, Ocean Science Trust will continue to work with the Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team (OPC-SAT) working group to develop a scientific guidance document, which will be delivered to the Interagency HABs Task Force on September 30, 2016.

Download the report here.

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