ICES Working Group on HABs

ICES Working Group on HABs
Name	ICES Working Group on HABs
Formation	19XX
Type	Advisory group
Headquarters	Copenhagen
Region served	North Atlantic Ocean
Parent organization	International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

ICES Working Group on HABs

The ICES Working Group on HABs is a scientific advisory body convened under the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea to address harmful algal blooms in the North Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, North Sea, and adjacent waters. It synthesizes evidence from monitoring programmes such as those run by Helcom, OSPAR Commission, and national agencies including Marine Scotland, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and NOAA to inform management actions by actors like European Commission and United Kingdom ministries. The group links taxonomic expertise, oceanographic modelling, and public health surveillance to produce consensus assessments used by World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and regional fisheries authorities.

Overview and Objectives

The group's primary objectives include improving detection of taxa such as Alexandrium fundyense, Pseudo-nitzschia, Dinophysis acuminata, and Karenia mikimotoi through harmonized protocols, advancing understanding of bloom drivers including inputs from River Thames, Loire River, and St. Lawrence River, and providing advice to policy bodies such as the European Commission's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and the International Maritime Organization. It aims to integrate data from monitoring networks like Copernicus Programme, EMODnet, ICES datasets, and national laboratories such as Scottish Association for Marine Science and Institute of Marine Research (Norway). The group also promotes standardization aligned with instruments including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Water Framework Directive.

History and Organizational Structure

Established within the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea framework, the working group evolved from earlier expert panels that convened after high-profile events like closures of fisheries following blooms linked to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning and incidents near Bay of Fundy. Its governance mirrors other ICES entities such as the ICES Advisory Committee and reports in cycles comparable to ICES Working Group on Oceanic Hydrography. Membership comprises scientists from institutes including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer, and governmental labs of Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands, and Spain. The group elects chairs and rapporteurs and organizes annual meetings often held alongside conferences like European Harmful Algae Event and symposia of the International Society for the Study of Harmful Algae.

Research Activities and Methods

Research emphasizes taxonomy using microscopy and molecular assays such as qPCR and metabarcoding applied by teams at Natural History Museum, London, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Physical oceanography inputs from platforms like Argo (oceanography), HF radar, and coupled models developed at Met Office and Heriot-Watt University underpin transport and retention studies. Remote sensing from Copernicus Programme satellites and in situ sensors deployed on Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and drifters support operational forecasting efforts similar to those at NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Ecotoxicology and toxin analyses use methods standardized with reference labs such as National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Netherlands) and Health Canada.

Major Findings and Reports

The working group has produced consensus reports identifying trends such as poleward shifts in bloom occurrence linked to warming documented in studies associated with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments, links between eutrophication in estuaries like the Elbe and HAB frequency, and the emergence of new vectors via ballast water regulated under the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments. Key outputs include status overviews, methodological guidance, and risk matrices used by European Food Safety Authority, national public health agencies such as Public Health England, and regional fisheries management organizations. Reports have highlighted priority taxa, monitoring gaps, and recommended sentinel sites exemplified by long-term series at Lough Hyne and Sognefjord.

Collaborations and Stakeholder Engagement

The group collaborates with intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations including OSPAR Commission, HELCOM, World Health Organization, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. It engages stakeholders such as aquaculture operators represented by European Aquaculture Society, coastal municipalities including Cork County Council, and commercial laboratories. Outreach occurs via joint workshops with entities such as Copernicus Marine Service, capacity-strengthening with World Bank projects in developing coastal states, and contributions to regional contingency drills coordinated with European Maritime Safety Agency.

Capacity Building and Training

Training initiatives include hands-on workshops on microscopy and toxin assay standardization hosted at institutions like Marine Biological Association, online modules in collaboration with FutureLearn partners, and exchange placements with laboratories at Plymouth Marine Laboratory and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The working group supports development of national HAB monitoring programmes in countries such as Portugal, Morocco, and Iceland through mentorship, provision of standard operating procedures, and coordination with donor agencies including European Commission funding streams and the Green Climate Fund.

Impact on Policy and Management =

Outputs inform regulatory measures under instruments like the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and operational advisories used by aquaculture regulators and public health authorities during events such as shellfish bed closures in Ireland and Norway. The group's guidance has influenced monitoring legislation, contingency planning, and cross-border information sharing agreements comparable to memoranda between Scotland and England. By synthesizing multidisciplinary evidence, it supports decisions by bodies including European Commission directorates, national ministries, and regional fisheries management organizations to reduce socio-economic impacts on sectors such as aquaculture and tourism.

Category:International Council for the Exploration of the Sea