Harmful Algal Events

Thomas C. Malone, Director and Professor, Horn Point Laboratory, Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 775, Cambridge, Maryland USA 21613
 Malone@hpl.umces.edu

Introduction

There is growing evidence that coastal ecosystems are experiencing an escalating and disturbing trend in the incidence of problems associated with harmful algae, including human illness from contaminated shellfish or fish, the closure of shellfish beds, death of marine mammals and seabirds, and alteration of marine habitats (see http://ioc.unesco.org/hab).  As a result, government ministries and industries, such as coastal mariculture operations, are recognizing the need for more timely detection of HAB events and for the development of a predictive understanding of when and where such events are most likely to occur.  Timely access to such information is required to (1) protect public health; (2) control and mitigate ecological and economic impacts; and (3) disseminate relevant, accurate and useful information in a timely fashion to coastal communities and industried that are impacted or likely to be impacted by such events.