The Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) partnership investigates the origins of toxic algae blooms, particularly the organism Pseudo-nitzschia and associated toxin, domoic acid; monitors where and when the blooms occur; assesses the environmental conditions conducive to blooms and toxification of intertidal shellfish populations; and explores methods that can be used to reduce HAB impacts on humans and the environment. ORHAB partnership was organized in 1999 to develop collaboration and cooperation among federal, state and local management agencies, coastal Indian tribes, marine resource-based businesses, public interest groups, and academic institutions.
This project addresses medium priority 2015 goal 6.1.4, "Collect information about virulent species, abundance, and presence. Build a comprehensive database for phytoplankton occurrences."
This project was originally funded under the NOAA Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA) and awarded to the ORHAB coalition. After 5 years of federal funding, the ORHAB Partnership transitioned to State support and is currently sustained by a portion of revenues generated by Washington Recreational Shellfish License sales. PSI is a subcontractor working initially in association with the Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) and more recently with Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. The overall approach is to: 1) implement and maintain a solar-powered ISCO® Model 6712 programmable water sampling unit on the Bay Center Mooring, 2) develop and fine-tune preservation techniques for nutrient, toxin and phytoplankton analysis, 3) collect on-going water samples for phytoplankton (taxa and densities), toxin [total and particulate domoic acid (DA)], and nutrient (NO3, NO2, Si, and PO4) analysis, and 4) communicate findings to other members of the partnership. PSI also had a role in this project culturing toxic phytoplankton cells isolated from field samples for ORHAB at our Sequim facility.
To date, PSI has serviced and maintained the automated water sampling unit from early- Spring to late-Fall between 2002 and 2007. PSI, in conjunction with WDOE, successfully identified and tested preservation methods for toxin, nutrient and plankton samples using automated technology. Between 2002-2007, PSI performed total cell counts (all plankton species) for approximately 500 samples and submitted accompanying water samples to NFSC for total and particulate DA analysis and the University of Washington for full-spectrum nutrient analysis.
Results from the Willapa Bay monitoring and other phases of the project were presented at regional and national conferences. Aimee Christy from PSI has given year-in-review presentations at annual ORHAB meetings and has also presented study findings at regional shellfish grower meetings. Findings from the program have also been posted on the ORHAB web site.