Golden Alga (Prymnesium parvum) in Texas

Workshop Abstracts

How to Use the Past to Plan for the Future

Karen A. Steidinger

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Marine Research Institute, 100 Eighth Ave SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA

Abstract.--Harmful algal blooms occur worldwide and in some cases have been documented for hundreds of years. Others have only been documented recently in a specified location although the causative organism may have been resident at low levels for years. Funding has historically been directed more toward the species that directly impact human health. Others may be fish killers of major proportions and impact aquaculture industries. Prymnesium parvum is an ichthyotoxic brackish water microflagellate that has caused fisheries, aquaculture and economic losses around the world. Additionally, it has been found in west Texas inland rivers, lakes, and reservoirs as well as fish farms. How can we use what we know about HAB species/events, including Prymnesium, to frame an approach to needed Prymnesium studies in west Texas saline freshwaters? This workshop will present much of the known information on P. parvum and then identify and prioritize research and monitoring needs. A resulting action plan could also include a preliminary economic assessment, proposed education and outreach component, and suggested data management for monitoring. The plan can be the product of an agency or a governmental multirepresentative task force and can be used as documentation for local and state financial support. The task force should cross boundaries of fish and wildlife, water resources, and other agencies as well as universities, fishing groups, environmental groups, aquaculturists, and others. It should include managers, scientists, and activists. Florida has had a HAB task force to address several major HAB species and was funded $3,330,000 over a four-year period by the state legislature. The Task Force plan with recommended action items was a major instrument for creating a HAB Task Force funding program through a state agency. In addition, it provided recurring additional funds for monitoring of HABs by the state agency and a contractor. Having diverse support from stakeholders strengthens the multiyear funding request. When a state is confronted with a new or increasingly occurring HAB species, there are certain questions that need to be addressed whether it is marine or freshwater. They constitute the basic building blocks of a plan. The plan, perhaps five years, needs to be specific to a geographic area, e.g., Texas. What species is it? Could similar species of the same genus be involved? Is its toxin ichthyotoxic, neurotoxic, hemolytic, or cytolytic? Are there any public health concerns? Are there differences in toxicity and potency? Is toxicity influenced by environmental cues such as nutrients, light or other factors? Where did the species originate – locale or introduced? What is the best realistic monitoring method - microscopy, species probes, or toxin probes? Can platforms with automated sensors be used to monitor? Can a volunteer monitoring program be set up? Is economic data available for losses? Can the species be successfully controlled by clay, ammonium compounds, ozone, viruses or other means without adverse impacts? What is the organism’s complete life cycle and how are the stages influenced by environmental variables? Can the stages be easily identified by microscopy or molecular probes? Are there hot spots in a lake, reservoir or other freshwater environ that are linked to resting stages? Is there any seasonality for presence in the water column, blooms and toxic populations? What environmental variables affect the resting stage and its emergence to the water column? Most of these questions can be applied to any HAB species.