A two-tiered Planning Committee of individuals representing the HAB community spectrum has been formed to plan the workshop to revisit and revise the U.S. National HAB Plan.

Steering Committee

Co-Chairs:

Donald M. Anderson
U.S. National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
danderson@whoi.edu

John S. Ramsdell
Marine Biotoxins Program, NOAA-National Ocean Service
John.Ramsdell@noaa.gov

Purpose

To oversee all aspects of the development of the workshop and the production of the “Algal Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms: A Revised National Plan.”

Composition (steering committee members)

The 14 member Steering Committee is composed of individuals identified for their expertise in HAB related scientific and management disciplines critical to the review and revision of the National Plan.

Roles

1. Coordinate the development of white papers coming from the2nd US HAB Symposium in December 2003;
   
2. Identify participants and developing the agenda for the HAB plan workshop in March 2004;
   
3. Develop and complete a new national plan by early summer 2004.

Co-Chairs:

Karen Steidinger, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
karen.steidinger@fwc.state.fl.us

Quay Dortch , ECOHAB Program, NOAA Coastal Ocean Program
Quay.Dortch@noaa.gov

Purpose

To provide the input of a wide range of stakeholders to the National HAB Plan Steering Committee in developing Algal Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms: A Revised National Plan.

Composition (current advisory committee members)

The Advisory Committee will be composed of representatives of federal and state agencies, academia, industry, and citizen groups with an interest in Harmful Algal Blooms in aquatic ecosystems and their impacts on human and natural resources health, and regional economies. The Steering Committee will nominate members. The Advisory Committee will be Chaired by Drs. Karen Steidinger (Florida Marine Research Institute) and Quay Dortch (NOAA ECOHAB) who will serve as the liaisons with the Steering Committee.

Roles

• to suggest topics for the agenda for the Workshop;
• to review and comment on white papers for four subject areas (toxins, bloom ecology and dynamics, food webs and fisheries, and infrastructure);
• to review and comment on a draft of the Revised Plan;
• to identify beneficiaries of the National Plan;
• to identify the benefits of recommendations on specific user groups;
• to form the basis of a reconstituted HAB Task Force to promote research on the critical issues outlined in the Revised Plan.