vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Fish and ShelOfish Program
NEWSLETTER
August 2019
EPA 823-N-19-007
In This Issue
Recent Advisory News	1
EPA News	2
Other News	5
Recently Awarded Research	8
Tech and Tools			11
Recent Publications	12
Upcoming Meetings
and Conferences	13
This issue of the Fish and Shellfish Program Newsletter generally focuses on harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Recent Advisory News
Michigan Issues 'Do Not Eat' Fish Consumption
£ Advisory for All Fish in Beaver Dam Pond and
Helmer Creek in Calhoun County Due to PFAS
On March 29, 2019, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)
issued an emergency 'Do Not Eat' fish advisory for all fish in Beaver Dam Pond and
Helmer Creek in Springfield due to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).
Bluegill fillets tested from Beaver Dam Pond were found to have high levels of PFOS. As a
result, MDHHS issued a 'Do Not Eat' advisory for all fish from Beaver Dam Pond and
Helmer Creek, both in Calhoun County. The advisory does not extend into the Kalamazoo
River. To find the Eat Safe Fish guidelines for the Kalamazoo River, visit the Southwest
Michigan Eat Safe Fish Guide at Michiga11.gov/eatsafefish.
Michigan 'Do Not Eat" Fish Consumption Advisory for Beaver Damn Pond and Helmer Creek
Type of Fish
Chemical Causing Mi Serving Recommendation
Size of Fish (length in
inches)
IVII Servings per Month
All fish
PFOS
Any
Do Not Eat
This newsletter provides information
only. This newsletter does not
impose legally binding requirements
on the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), states, tribes, other
regulatory authorities, orthe
regulated community. The Office of
Science and Technology, Office of
Water, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency has approved this newsletter
for publication. Mention of trade
names, products, or services does
not convey and should not be
interpreted as conveying official EPA
approval, endorsement, or
recommendation for use.
https://www.eDa.eov/fish-tech
The fish were tested as a result of the state's per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
effort. The advisory relates to the state's work to address PFAS. PFOS is one specific
PFAS. Touching the fish or water and swimming in the pond or the creek is not
considered a health concern. PFAS do not move easily through the skin. An occasional
swallow of pond or creek water is also not considered a health concern. However, the
advisory said to avoid foam that forms on the pond or creek. Foam may have higher
amounts of PFAS than the water and could be a health risk, especially if swallowed. It is a
good idea to wash after touching foam with PFAS. Visit the Health Section at
michigan.gov/pfasresponse for more information on PFAS and foam and current
guidelines relating to PFAS contamination in fish.
For more information, contact Lynn Sutfin at 517-230-6231 or SutfinLi@michigan.gov.
Source: Michigan issues 'Do Not Eat' Fish Consumption Advisory for all fish in Be,aver
Dam Pond and Helmer Creek in Calhoun County due to PFAS
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EPA News
CyAN Mobile App Helps Communities Detect Cyanobacteria in U.S.
Waterbodies
On July 16, 2019, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) published information on
a new mobile app to help communities detect
cyanobacteria in waterbodies. Since the passing of
the Clean Water Act in 1972, water quality in the
United States has improved significantly, but
threats to clean and safe water still exist. One of
these threats is harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Certain environmental conditions in waterbodies	y 1 ¦ ™™
can intensify algae growth, causing algal blooms. A cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom in William H. Harsha Lake in Ohio (2017).
Blooms with the potential to harm human health or
aquatic ecosystems are referred to as HABs. One type of HAB is a cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom. These blooms
produce toxins and cause nuisance odors, hypoxia, and unappealing surface scums that create a potential for
adverse human health exposures and ecological impacts. These negative impacts to drinking water sources can
increase drinking water treatment costs for communities. They also impact the local economy, via revenue loss from
recreation and businesses that rely on safe and clean water.
The most effective way of protecting public health from HABs is knowing ahead of time to avoid water containing
cyanobacteria. However, this is hard to do because most cyanobacteria events are dealt with reactively, after the
bloom has occurred in response to the visual, odor, or toxin confirmation. That is why EPA has developed the
Cyanobacteria Assessment Network mobile application (CyAN app), an early warning indicator system for algal
blooms in U.S. freshwater systems, which will help local and state water quality managers make faster and better-
informed management decisions related to cyanobacterial blooms in their communities.
Water quality managers need access to current, inexpensive, and quality data to protect water resources. In 2015,
EPA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began work on the CyAN Project, which led to the
development of the CyAN app. In 2017, EPA launched the app for Android devices, and it was only available to
project collaborators, until now—the app is now publicly available. CyAN app is designed for use on Android™
devices (versions 4.2-9.0) and is available for download on Google Play™. It is currently being developed as a web-
based app, which will be compatible with most devices. Learn more about and download the CvAN app.
Though satellite data have been available for many years, its use in decision-making has been hindered by
complicated data formats and the time burden to process and access the data. The CyAN app gives water quality
managers the ability to easily assess satellite derived cyanobacteria biomass concentrations occurring over larger
lakes and reservoirs across the country. This app reduces the need for scientific expertise in satellite data

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processing, analysis and interpretation, and eliminates barriers to computer hardware requirements associated
with the use of satellite data files. In this easy to use, customizable interface, managers can rapidly distill critical
water quality information for their communities.
The georeferenced data in the app allow water quality managers the ability to passively monitor a specific water
body without having to filter through other numerous satellite images that aren't associated with their area of
interest. Simply, users open the app once a week to receive the updated imagery and monitoring data for locations
of interest for the current season. The app provides approximately 70% of the monitoring information. The
remaining information (such as identifying site locations of interest and setting warning thresholds) is input by the
user during the app settings setup process.
Several communities have beta tested and used the app to assist in water quality management. In 2017, app
functionality and satellite data were successfully demonstrated against 25 state health advisories, across seven
states. Benjamin Holcomb from the Utah Division of Water Quality (UDWQ) provided helpful feedback on the use
of the CyAN app in his community.
"The images we've been receiving through the CyAN project have been tremendously helpful to the Utah Division of
Water Quality, providing the foundation for a wide range of useful outputs," Holcomb shared. "It allows UDWQ to
better target field sampling and more efficiently use our limited resources to protect public health. Finally, images
are easily shared with response agencies as a useful visual communication aid."
Angela Shambaugh from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has used CyAN app to monitor
the lakes in her state, saying that "large lakes like Lake Champlain have an extremely patchy distribution of
cyanobacteria due to varying environmental conditions and lake shape. The CyAN app helps viewers visualize that
patchiness and provides additional context for our [cyanobacteria] Tracker Map which shares data gathered by our
cyanobacteria monitoring program."
For additional information, visit the CvAN app website.
For questions or comments, contact the CvAN Project at CvAN@epa.gov.
Source of quotations: EPA Science Matters Article - CyAN Mobile App Helps Communities Detect Cyanobacteria
in U.S. Water Bodies
EPA Seeking Public Comments on Freshwater HABs Policy
The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2014 (also known as HABHRCA)
requires NOAA and EPA to advance the scientific understanding and ability to detect, monitor, assess, and predict
marine and freshwater HAB and hypoxia events in the U.S. The Act also requires maintaining and enhancing a
national program to control and mitigate HAB and hypoxia events, delineates the role of the Task Force
(Interagency Working Group or IWG), and requires developing reports and plans to reduce the likelihood of HABs
formation and mitigate their damage. A recent amendment (HABHRCA of 2017) provides EPA with the statutory
authority to determine if a HAB or hypoxia event in freshwater is an "event of national significance."
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On September 6, 2019, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water, David P. Ross, signed a Federal
Register Notice requesting public comment to inform the development of an Agency policy for determining if a HAB
or hypoxia in freshwater is an event of national significance.
Comments may be submitted to Docket EPA-HQ-OW-2019-0463 in www.regulations.gov. The comment period
ends on October 31, 2019.
For additional information, please see the Federal Register Notice or contact Dr. Lesley V. D Anglada, Office of
Science and Technology, EPA at 202-566-1125 or danglada.leslev@epa.gov.
Other Resources
•	Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2017 fPDFl
•	Federal Register: Notice of Intent to Develop a Policy on the Determination of a Harmful Algal Bloom
(HAB) and Hypoxia as an Event of National Significance in Freshwater Systems
•	Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2014 fPDFl
•	NOAA's Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (HABHRCA) website
•	Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Comprehensive Research Plan and Action Strategy: An Interagency
Report fPDF)
•	Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia in the United States: A Report on Interagency Progress and
Implementation CPPFI
Source: The Harmful Alaal Bloom and Hupoxia Research and Control Amendments Act (HABHRCA)
Freshwater HABs Newsletter
The Freshwater HABs Newsletter highlights current information about HABs in freshwater systems, including
news, upcoming events such as conferences and webinars, useful resources, beach closures and health advisories,
and recently published journal articles. EPA released information on resources for controlling cyanobacteria and
HABs and more in the August 2010 Freshwater HABs Newsletter.
For comments, feedback or additional information, please contact Lesley D Anglada, Project Manager, at 202-566-
1125 or Danglada.Leslev@epa.gov.
Sources: CvanoHABs Newsletters 201Q
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Other News
NCCOS Forecasts, Funding, Research Help South Florida Address
Harmful Algal Blooms
NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) is working on several efforts to help south Florida
address both saltwater and freshwater HABs.
Forecasts
In the summer of 2018, south Florida experienced the worst red tide in more than 10 years. This HAB extended
roughly 130 miles along the southwest Florida coast, detrimentally affecting the local economy and human and
animal health. Among the health impacts, red tide toxins became airborne through wave action and caused
respiratory irritation in people and animals.
In response, NCCOS and its partners developed a risk level forecast for red tide respiratory irritation on Pinellas
County beaches. The 24-hour Experimental Red Tide Respiratory Forecasts are updated following the collection
and analysis of water samples, and are typically available on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. When
red tide is in the air, most people experience minor respiratory irritation—coughing, sneezing, teary eyes—which
goes away when they leave the beach. However, people with lung problems like asthma and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease can have severe reactions when they breathe in these toxins. Pinellas County residents and
visitors who are susceptible to the respiratory impacts of Florida's red tide now have a new tool that will help them
know their risks before they visit area beaches during red tides.
NCCOS developed the experimental forecast in partnership with the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing
System (GCOOS), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute,
and Pinellas County Environmental Management. The forecast was developed through funding from the NASA
Health and Air Quality Program and is hosted by GCOOS. For more information on the forecast, contact
Richard.Stumpf@noaa.gov.
Funding
The NCCOS HAB Event Response Program provided funding to address different aspects of the 2018 red tide. In
August of that year, the program awarded $19,200 to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Mote
Marine Laboratory to supplement their efforts to document and understand changes in the severity, duration, and
location of the red tide. In September 2018, the program awarded $8,250 to Florida's Clinic for the Rehabilitation
of Wildlife and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish-Wildlife Research Institute to study a
novel treatment for cormorants sickened by exposure to brevetoxin resulting from red tide. The results could
provide insight for treating other marine animals in the future. In October 2018, the program awarded $28,000 to a
multi-institution team to enhance the team's sampling of the red tide and assessment of its ecosystem impacts
following Hurricane Michael. For more information on the NCCOS HAB Event Response Program, contact
Ouav.Dortch@noaa.gov.
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Research
In the freshwater environment, NCCOS is working with engineers
on nanobubble ozone technology (NBOT) to develop an
environmentally sustainable method to eliminate harmful blue-
green algae and their toxins. The method uses nanobubbles—
bubbles smaller than the width of a single human hair—to aerate
water bodies. Unlike ordinary bubbles that rise and burst at the
surface of the water, nanobubbles implode under the pressure of
the water, releasing oxygen and ozone that help dissolve harmful
algae.
NCCOS chemist Dr. Peter Moeller recently conducted laboratory
validation of the method's efficacy in reducing harmful algae and
toxins and is now working to establish application parameters that
will ensure wildlife safety. Moeller also helped test the ozone
nanobubble system on a freshwater algal bloom near Fort Myers
Beach, Florida. Within 48 hours of treatment, the eight-acre pond
was well-oxygenated and free of algae, with no apparent harm to
other aquatic life in the pond.
Moeller will analyze time-series water samples treated with
nanobubbles to characterize chemical changes during the
remediation process. Future testing of the method may yield breakthroughs for other natural resource management
issues, such as treating ballast water, farm waste, or addressing invasive species.
For more information on ozone nanobubble technology, contact Peter.Moeller@noaa.gov.
For more information, also contact:
•	Richard Stumpf at Richard.Stumpf@noaa.gov
•	Quay Dortch at Quav.Dortch@noaa.gov
Source: NCCOS Forecasts. Funding. Research Help South Florida Address Harmful Alaal Blooms
Rocky Bay Algae BOoom Suspected in Clam Die-Off
The Case Inlet toxic bloom is one of several tracked around the Key Peninsula in Puget Sound, Washington.
In mid-July 2019, Norm McLoughlin, who lives on Rocky Bay along northern Case Inlet, went to the beach to check
his boat. The stench of dead clams nearly knocked him over, he said.
The beach was covered with open shells and rotting flesh. The algae spotted offshore earlier in the summer of 2019
had developed into a full-blown bloom, and it appeared to have taken its toll.
Dr. Peter Moeller (right) demonstrates ozone nanobubble
technology to Dr. Steve Thur (Director of NCCOS) at Hollings
Marine Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina. (Courtesy of
NOAA]
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Teri King, a specialist with Washington Sea Grant (WSG) and program manager for the SoundToxins program, a
partnership with WSG, the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center, and Puget Sound Partners, said that a bloom
started to form on June 6 in North Bay in Allyn. When King received calls about dead clams in Rocky Bay, close to
North Bay, she examined water and shellfish samples sent to her from that location.
Barbara Ann Smolko, Pierce County Surface Water Management, said that similar events were reported in nearby
Vaughn Bay.
The organism in both bays was Protoceratium reticulation (P. reticulation), a dinoflagellate phytoplankton that is
one of several followed by the monitoring program. "Most of South Sound is being inundated with P. reticulation
based on the calls I have been fielding and the samples SoundToxins monitors have been viewing," King said. "The
levels are increasing from week to week, as are reported shellfish mortalities and clams surfacing."
Based on the water sample she received July 16 from Rocky Bay, King said, "I would say the bay is in full bloom and
with the cysts. I would say it could last a while."
Kent Kingman, owner of Minterbrook Oyster Company near Wauna, also owns approximately 75 acres of tidelands
on Rocky Bay that he leases to the Taylor Shellfish Company for cultivation of clams and oysters.
Bill Dewey, a spokesman for Taylor, said they had seen a similar problem in Discovery Bay. "We've experienced
significant summer mortality over the years." Last year they had unusually high mortality and he said this could be
a trend, but that it is too early to judge.
Taylor will "let nature take its course" with the dead shellfish. Dewey said natural predators should clean the beach
fairly quickly. Clams take about three years to mature, and Taylor has not yet decided when to reseed the beach.
"Whether or not the P. reticulation is the cause of the mortality in Rocky Bay and other bays within Puget Sound
this year and in past years is a point of active research by the SoundToxins team, which submitted a request to
NOAA earlier this year to study them," King said. "We can say that the mortalities and P. reticulation are co-
occurring and warrant an active investigation."
P. reticulation is found in all oceans and can produce yessotoxins, which can be toxic for clams and oysters.
Yessotoxins are regulated in the European Union based on concerns for human health, though the degree of harm
to humans is unclear.
For more information, contact Sara Thompson, KP News, through editor@kevpennews.org or Key Peninsula News,
P.O. Box 3, Vaughn, WA 98394.
Source: Rocky Bail Alaae Bloom Suspected in Clam Die-Off
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Recently Awarded Research
$3.5 Million Awarded to Identify Acidification Thresholds in Coastal
Ecosystems
Have you ever gone biking down a hill and tried to stop halfway down? It can be difficult, especially compared to
stopping on a flat path. What if ocean acidification is causing a slight decline in the health of marine organisms?
How will other coastal stressors such as nutrient pollution, warming waters, and decreased dissolved oxygen affect
that dip in the health of marine plants and animals? These stressors can cause a marine ecosystem to reach a
tipping point or threshold, beyond which it can be difficult to recover. NOAA's NCCOS and Ocean Acidification
Program (OAP) have jointly funded four projects totaling $3.5 million to identify the threshold at which ecosystems
change rapidly and their services are irreversibly altered. From the Chesapeake Bay to the coastal waters of Alaska,
this work will help managers reduce stressors to avoid the decline or potential collapse of valuable marine
ecosystems.
How sensitive are systems in the Chesapeake Bay to acidification and nutrient pollution?
Jeremy Testa, University of Maryland
The wild oyster industry has suffered repeated collapses in the Chesapeake Bay due to overharvesting, disease, and
declining environmental conditions. How future conditions will affect the Eastern oyster remain uncertain, not only
because conditions such as increased freshwater are difficult to predict, but also because the interactions between
stressors such as ocean acidification, temperature, nutrient runoff, and sea level rise could lead to unexpected
chemical, biological, and economic change. The changes in stressors and their impacts do not always proceed
linearly. The potential responses of various life stages of the Eastern oyster to stressors like acidification
and eutrophication has received little attention. This project will study the impact of different stressors on the
Chesapeake Bay, a large estuarine system, and the Eastern oyster. The study will bring together different models to
understand the relationship between biogeochemical cycling of carbon, oxygen, and nutrients, oyster growth and
survival, and oyster economic profitability in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The project will provide insights into
future conditions and habitats where aquaculture and wild oyster populations may be most vulnerable to the
climate and ocean changes.
Can meadows of underwater eelgrass help mitigate the harmful effects of ocean acidification on
Eastern oysters?
Emily Rivest, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV), such as eelgrass, could mitigate the harmful impacts of ocean acidification on
Eastern oysters by reducing the acidity of waters where oysters grow. These underwater grasses take up carbon
dioxide and release oxygen into coastal waters, reducing the exposure of marine organisms to increases in acidic
conditions that slow or stop oyster growth and reproduction. Oysters, in turn, improve water clarity for seagrasses
to thrive by filtering particles out of the water and allowing more sunlight to penetrate. This modeling project will
identify the threshold of acidification beyond which the economically important Eastern oyster is negatively
impacted and will evaluate the potential benefit of seagrasses in protecting oysters and the ecosystem services they
provide. The modeling tool will also identify the acidification conditions in which seagrass restoration is most
helpful and when the economic benefits of this restoration to Eastern oyster production outweigh the costs. At the
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end of this project, the final model will be freely available as an online tool and will help scientists, managers, and
oyster growers assess the potential for both seagrass and oyster restoration.
Research to inform adaptation decisions for Alaska's salmon fisheries
David Finnoff, University of Wyoming
Alaska is expected to experience ocean acidification faster than any other U.S. coastal waters, primarily due to its
colder water which absorbs more carbon dioxide than warmer waters. With seafood industry job incomes over $1.5
billion annually and communities that rely on healthy oceans for subsistence, nutrition, and culture, increased
ocean acidification is expected to have significant implications. Research on the potential impact to salmon has
emerged as one of the top priorities, identified during a 2016 statewide workshop and stakeholder survey. Despite
the economic importance of salmon, little research has been done on the effects of ocean acidification on salmon
and the fishing industry and communities that depends on salmon. Acidification has been shown to impair coho
salmon's ability to smell and detect their prey. It has also been shown to reduce pink salmon growth rates. In
addition, future ocean acidification is expected to affect salmon prey species, which is expected to affect Pacific
salmon survival, abundance and productivity. This project will investigate the implication of ocean acidification
thresholds and major ecosystem shifts in the Gulf of Alaska on salmon. Integrated human-ecological models will be
developed to simulate management scenarios to assess the benefits of pre-emptive adaptation planning and policy
making. The information from modeling these scenarios will help create decision tools for salmon managers.
Ocean and coastal acidification thresholds from Long Island Sound to the Nova Scotian Shelf
Ruairidh Morrison, Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems
(NERACOOS)
How will nearshore and coastal ecosystems respond to ocean and coastal acidification in the Northeast? How will
these changes affect human communities? An absence of actionable information and understanding of the dynamic
nature of coastal acidification is a major challenge to Northeast seafood industry, resource managers, and coastal
policymakers. This project will expand the existing Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System to develop actionable
guidance for coastal water quality and marine resource managers through workshops and direct engagement.
Workshops and focus groups will be held to determine information needs, decision scenarios, modeling priorities,
and options for delivering actionable information for three specific users: (1) water quality managers and
monitoring systems, (2) oyster growers, and (3) the wild harvest shellfishing industry. The research will focus on
advancing ocean acidification detection and warning systems that take into account other environmental stressors
in Northeast coastal waters.
For more information, contact:
•	Jeremy Testa at itesta@umces.edu
•	Emily Rivest at ebrivest@vi ms.edu
•	David Finnoff at finnoff@uwvo.edu
•	Ruairidh Morrison at Ru.Morrison@neracoos.org.
Source: $3.5 Million Awarded to Identifu Acidification Thresholds in Coastal Ecosystems
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NCCOS Assists Response to Cyanobacterial Blooms in Lake
Pontchartrain Caused by Opening Bonnet Carre Spillway
On July 10, 2019, NOAA's NCCOS provided a HAB Event Response award of $12,900 to the Louisiana State
University ("LSLO and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation ( LPBF'S. This award funded their efforts to monitor for
the remaining summer months shoreline areas commonly used for recreation around the lake for levels of algal
toxins that could be harmful to people or their pets during recreational use. The NCCOS Harmful Algal Bloom
Monitoring System also provided satellite remote sensing images of the cyanobacterial blooms to inform decisions
about sampling.
LPBF and LSU conducted weekly field water quality
monitoring, sample collection, and analysis. Monitoring
occurred at sites along the north and south shorelines
of Lake Pontchartrain. The sampling effort was aided
by NQAA providing imagery from the Sentinel-3
satellites. These satellites measure coastal water color,
which shows the location of harmful cyanobacteria
blooms. If significant blooms were detected in the lake
using satellite images, monitoring intensity would have
been increased, with more frequent, weekly monitoring
at baseline sites as well as additional sites. Monitoring
continued until the end of summer after the spillway
was closed, when an expected decrease in turbidity
throughout the lake was conducive to widespread algal
growth. By then the likelihood of a bloom and the risk
to people and pets was expected to be low due to
decreasing water temperatures and increasing salinities
that are unfavorable to the growth of toxic
cyanobacteria.
6/13/19
6/16/19
These blooms originated from the introduction of large volumes of nutrient-rich fresh river water, via the opening
of the Bonnet Carre Spillway, into the lower-nutrient estuarine Lake Pontchartrain. Freshwater inputs from the
spillway have been shown to substantially change the chemistry and ecology of the lake. Spillway openings can
rapidly depress lake salinities, causing most of the lake to become fresh which can persist for several months, when
seasonal weather or tropical activities introduce saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico into the lake. Preliminary field
results investigating the bloom composition identified the abundance of cyanobacterial species known to produce a
variety of cyanobacterial toxins. These toxins have the potential for causing human illnesses. Previous spillway
openings have been associated with toxic cyanobacteria blooms, and there is a concern that blooms could occur in
shoreline areas utilized by the public, possibly exposing
people and/or their pets to harmful levels of algal	| 6/13/19 |	^
toxins.
Satellite image: The red areas show the peak of the cyanobacterial bloom
in the Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne regions (dark areas at upper
left. The Gulf of Mexico is the large dark area to the right. The Mississippi
River Delta (aka bird's-foot delta) is the NW-SE protruding light colored
land mass at left-center. (Courtesy of NO A A derived image from Sentinei-
3A satellite')
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This award funded HAB identification and counts and biotoxin analyses for duration of the event; samples were
collected for later nutrient analyses. LSU and LPBF researchers and staff will work closely with Louisiana
Department of Health. U.S.EPA. and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to monitor the severity of the bloom and
potential public health impacts.
Cyanobacteria Algal Bloom from Satellite in Lake Pontchartrain, LA is updated daily:
https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/research/stressor-impacts-mitigation/hab-monitoring-svstem/cvanobacteria-
algal-bloom-from-satellite-in-lake-pontchartrain-la/
The NCCOS HAB Event Response Program provides immediate assistance to help federal, state, and local officials
manage events and advance the understanding of HABs as they occur.
The NCCOS Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring System routinely delivers near real-time products for use in locating,
monitoring and quantifying algal blooms in coastal and lake regions of the U.S. For more information about the
Event Response, contact Ouav.Dortch(5)noaa.gov. and for more information about the satellite remote sensing
images, contact Richard.Stumpf@noaa.gov.
Source: NCCOS Assists Resporise to Ciianobacterial Blooms in Lake Pontchartrain Caused bu Opening Bonnet
Carre Spillwau
Tech and Tools
Harmful AlgaU Bloom Monitoring System
HABs occur when certain kinds of algae grow very quickly, forming patches, or "blooms," in the water. These
blooms can emit powerful toxins which endanger human and animal health. Reported in every coastal state, HABs
have caused an estimated $1 billion in losses over the last several decades to coastal economies that rely on
recreation, tourism, and seafood harvesting. Blooms can lead to odors that require more costly treatment for public
HAB Forecasts
Gulf of Maine
Lake Okeechobee, FL
Lake Pontchartrain, LA
Saginaw Bay, Ml
Green Bay, Wl
Albemarle Sound, NC
Lake Erie
Screerisliot of HAB Monitoring products. (Courtesy ofNOAA)
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water supplies. NCCOS conducts and funds research that helps communities protect the public and combat blooms
in cost-effective ways, and it is breaking new ground in the science of stopping blooms before they occur.
HAB Monitoring Products
NCCOS developed the HAB Monitoring System to routinely deliver near real-time products for use in locating,
monitoring and quantifying algal blooms in coastal and lake regions of the U.S. This application delivers a suite of
bloom detection products in the form of geographic based images. At this time products are available for selected
regions. New products are being evaluated, and new regions are being considered; as they are proven useful, they
will be made available through this system.
For more information, contact Richard Stumpf at Richard.Stumpf@noaa.gov.
Source: Harmful Alaal Bloom Monitoring Sustem
Recent Publications
Journal Articles
The list below provides a selection of research articles focusing on the HABs.
~	Decline of freshwater gastropods exposed to recurrent interacting stressors implying cvanobacterial proliferations and droughts
Gerard, C. and E. Lance. 2019. Decline of freshwater gastropods exposed to recurrent interacting stressors implying
cyanobacterial proliferations and droughts. Aquatic Ecology 53:79.
~	Fishing in greener waters: Understanding the impact of harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie anglers and the potential for adoption of a forecast
model
Gill, D., M. Rowe, and S. J. Joshi. 2018. Fishing in greener waters: Understanding the impact of harmful algal blooms on Lake Erie
anglers and the potential for adoption of a forecast model. Journal of Environmental Management 227:248-255.
~	Determination of microcvstins. nodularin. anatoxin-a. cylindrospermopsin. and saxitoxin in water and fish tissue using isotope dilution liquid
chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Haddad, S.P., J.M. Bobbitt, R.B. Taylor, L.M. Lovin, J.L. Conkle, C.K. Chambliss, and B.W. Brooks. 2019. Determination of
microcystins, nodularin, anatoxin-a, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin in water and fish tissue using isotope dilution liquid
chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A 1599:66-74.
~	uEvaluation of microcvstin-LR absorption using an in vivo intestine model and its effect on zebrafish intestine
Li, J., C. Chen, T. Zhang, W. Liu, L. Wang, Y. Chen, L. Wu, A.M. Hegazy, A.F. El-Sayed, and X. Zhang 2019. ^Evaluation of
microcystin-LR absorption using an in vivo intestine model and its effect on zebrafish intestine. Aquatic Toxicology 206:186-194.
~	Microcvstin - LR exposure causes cardiorespiratory impairments and tissue oxidative damage in trahira. Hop lias malabaricus
Martins, N.D., J.S. Yunes, D.J. Mckenzie, F.T. Rantin, A.L. Kalinin, and D.A. Monteiro. 2019. Microcystin - LR exposure causes
cardiorespiratory impairments and tissue oxidative damage in trahira, Hopllas malabaricus. Ecotoxicology and Environmental
Safety 173:436-443.
~	Concentrations of cylindrospermopsin toxin in water and tilapia fish of tropical fishponds in Egypt, and assessing their potential risk to human
health
Mohamed, Z.A. and A. Bakr. 2018. Concentrations of cylindrospermopsin toxin in water and tilapia fish of tropical fishponds in
Egypt and assessing their potential risk to human health. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 25(36):36287-36297.
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Fish and Shellfish Program newsletter
August 2019
~	Potential for dietary exposure to B-N-methvlamino-L-alanine and microcvstin from a freshwater system
Scott, L.L., S. Downing, and T. Downing. 2018. Potential for dietary exposure to p-N-methylamino-L-alanine and microcystin from a
freshwater system. Toxicon 150:261-266.
~	Assessment of the cytotoxic impact of cvanotoxin beta-N-methvlamino-L-alanineon a fish immune cell line
Sieroslawska, A. and A. Rymuszka. 2019. Assessment of the cytotoxic impact of cyanotoxin beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine on a fish
immune cell line. Aquatic Toxicology 212:214-221.
~	Heterogeneity of toxin-producing cvanobacteria and cvanotoxins in coastal watersheds of southern California
Tatters, A.O., M.D.A Howard, C. Nagoda, A.E Fetscher, R.M. Kudela, and D.ACaron. 2019. Heterogeneity of toxin-producing
cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins in coastal watersheds of southern California. Estuaries and Coasts 42(4):958-975.
~	Subcellular localization of microcvstin in the liver and the gonads of medaka fish acutely exposed to microcvstin-LR
Qiao, Q., C. Djediat, H. Huet, C. Duval, S. Le Manach, C. Bernard, M. Edery, and B. Marie. 2019. Subcellular localization of
microcystin in the liver and the gonads of medaka fish acutely exposed to microcystin-LR. Toxicon 159:14-21.
~	Concentrations of microcvstins in the muscle and liver tissues offish species from Koka Reservoir. Ethiopia: A potential threat to public health
Zewde, T.W., J. Johansen, K. Demeke, T.B. Demissie, J.J. Hansen, and Z. Tadesse. 2018. Concentrations of microcystins in the
muscle and liver tissues offish species from Koka Reservoir, Ethiopia: A potential threat to public health. Toxicon 153:85-95.
Upcoming Meetings and Conferences
2019 Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC1
Biennial Meeting
October 5-10, 2019
San Diego, California
Organization of Fish and Wildlife Information Managers
Annual Conference
October 6-10, 2019
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
13th World Congress on Aauaculture & Fisheries
October 28-29, 2019
Tokyo, Japan
Additional Information
This monthly newsletter highlights current information about fish and shellfish.
For more information about specific advisories within the state, territory, or tribe, contact the appropriate
state agency listed on EPA's National Listing of Fish Advisories website at https://fishadvisorvonline.epa.gov/Contacts.aspx.
For more information about this newsletter, contact Sharon Frey (Frev.Sharon@epa.gov. 202-566-1480).
Additional information about advisories and fish and shellfish consumption can be found at https://www.epa.gov/fish-tech.
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