Lessons Learned and Planning for Harmful Algal Blooms August 24, 2016 Fish and Game Commission Meeting Deborah Halberstadt Deputy Secretary on Ocean and Coastal Policy Executive Director, Ocean Protection Council

Summary of 2015 Unprecedented HAB event: A west coast-wide Pseudo-nitzschia bloom resulted in some of the highest concentrations of domoic acid ever observed in CA. Combination of the “blob” and El Niño resulted in very warm temperatures—transition to La Niña in 2016. Advisories and fishery closures: Domoic acid was observed in major commercial/ recreational fisheries (Dungeness crab, rock crab, anchovies, mussels, and razor clams) resulting in closures. Toxin saturated the food web, and accumulated in the benthic environment, leading to levels identified by the Dept. of Public Health to be above thresholds that are healthy for human consumption, lasting months after the bloom dissipated.

State agencies were successful in preventing human illness, however, the event resulted in extensive impacts and economic hardships on the commercial fishing and seafood industry.

California is Responding Ocean Protection Council convened an Interagency HAB Task Force to: Advance scientific understanding of HABs, led by Ocean Science Trust Address questions on current HAB monitoring and seafood sampling practices Convene Science Working Group Create standard operating procedures across public health and fisheries management agencies INTERAGENCY HAB TASK FORCE California Department of Fish and Wildlife California Fish and Game Commission California Department of Public Health Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment California Ocean Protection Council

Advancing Science: Frequently Asked Questions: Harmful Algal Blooms and California Fisheries August 2016 Addresses questions submitted by fishing industry, NGOs, HAB Task Force, Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture Provides clarity on the State’s HAB monitoring and management, and seafood toxin sampling and testing protocols Common set of info to support engaged conversations Download the report: www.oceansciencetrust.org

OPC-SAT WORKING GROUP MEMBERS Advancing Science: Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team Working Group Developing scientific guidance Release date: September 2016 State of the science Guidance on bolstering existing HAB and biotoxin monitoring in California Addressing information needs and gaps between government and science Longer-term science working group to be convened through 2017 OPC-SAT WORKING GROUP MEMBERS Dr. Raphael Kudela UC Santa Cruz Dr. William Cochlan SF State University Dr. Dave Caron USC Dr. Gregg Langlois CA Dept. of Public Health (retired)

Communicating and Collaborating Broadly Outreach with fishermen, legislature, Commission, etc. July 29 Public Call on FAQ document JFAC hearings and OPC meetings Beginning work with the Governor’s office on HAB (freshwater and marine) coordination Administration-wide Join upcoming discussions: Dungeness Crab Task Force Executive Committee call August 26th Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture hearing early October

Current Status and Outlook for 2016 Conditions are similar, but cooler, than 2015—conducive to bloom events, but probably not a west-coast wide event Bloom/toxins started later in the year, have been slowly building. Evidence for subsurface accumulation of toxin (Trinidad, Santa Barbara) Yesterday, CDPH issued a warning for rock crabs and bivalve shellfish in state waters south of around Pigeon Point and north of around Cypress Point in Monterey County Observations and models suggest patchy, high-toxin regions that could accumulate (locally) in crabs and other organisms but not as widespread as 2015 Credit: Raphael Kudela, UC Santa Cruz, Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture Hearing, August 10, 2016

Thank you www.opc.ca.gov