The 2005 National Plan for Algal Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms, HARRNESS, Harmful Algal Research and Response National Environmental Science Strategy 2005-2015, reflects the views of the US research and management community about the current state of the harmful algal bloom (HAB) problem, needs and priorities, and approaches available to address these problems. Major priorities and critical needs for capacity and understanding fall into four foci: bloom ecology and dynamics; toxins and their effects; food webs and fisheries; and public health and socioeconomic impacts.

This Plan is the product of an intensive collaborative effort, including an open forum discussion of 200 participants at the 2003 US National HAB Meeting, a detailed web-based questionnaire yielding more than 1,000 targeted responses, a workshop of 50 US HAB experts, an Advisory Committee to guide, and a Steering Committee to assemble and review the most current information available for use in developing this document.

For paper copies of this document, or further information about HABs, please contact the National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (508-289-2745) or visit http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/nationalplan/2005nationalplan.html.

The Report was produced by the Ecological Society of America with support from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Ocean Service. Major funding for report development was handled through the NCCOS Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research, Coastal Ocean Program (NOAA Award #NA03NOS4260029). Additional NCCOS support to enhance community involvement was provided by the Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research. Further support was also provided by NCCOS (to Steering Committee Co-Chair Donald M. Anderson) for operation of the US National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms.

Questions or comments about this site and its contents should be directed to devon@esa.org.