Swan Island Restoration Begins in Chesapeake Bay (video)

Swan Island locator map.

Promising HAB Control Method Builds on NCCOS Funded Discovery of Natural Algicide

Promising HAB Control Method Builds on NCCOS Funded Discovery of Natural Algicide

Giant Barrel Sponges at Dry Tortugas and Pulley Ridge are Genetically Similar, but Distinct from Other Places in Region

Giant Barrel Sponges at Dry Tortugas and Pulley Ridge are Genetically Similar, but Distinct from Other Places in Region

NCCOS Awards $1.5 Million to Support Coastal Communities Facing Changing Sea Levels and Flooding

NCCOS Awards $1.5 Million to Support Coastal Communities Facing Changing Sea Levels and Flooding

Sharing Advances in Performance and Affordability of the Second-Generation Environmental Sample Processor

Sharing Advances in Performance and Affordability of the Second-Generation Environmental Sample Processor

Report Characterizes Seafloor for Proposed New York Offshore Wind Energy Project

Report Characterizes Seafloor for Proposed New York Offshore Wind Energy Project

NCCOS, Partners Survey Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Lakebed

NCCOS, Partners Survey Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary Lakebed

NCCOS Team Surveys North Carolina Shipwrecks and Rocky Reefs

NCCOS Team Surveys North Carolina Shipwrecks and Rocky Reefs

NCCOS Awards $10.2M for New and Continuing Harmful Algal Bloom Research

NCCOS Awards $10.2M for New and Continuing Harmful Algal Bloom Research

New Technique Shows Oyster Shell Seeding is Possible in Open Water

New Technique Shows Oyster Shell Seeding is Possible in Open Water

NOAA Scientists Help Define Best Management Practices at Oyster Denitrification Workshop

NOAA Scientists Help Define Best Management Practices at Oyster Denitrification Workshop

NOAA, USGS Identify Programs for Environmental Monitoring Network in Gulf of Mexico

NOAA, USGS Identify Programs for Environmental Monitoring Network in Gulf of Mexico

NCCOS “HABs Grab” Takes One-Day Snapshot of Lake Erie’s Harmful Algae

NCCOS “HABs Grab” Takes One-Day Snapshot of Lake Erie’s Harmful Algae

NOAA Pays Tribute to Marine Spatial Ecologist Dr. Brian Kinlan During Live Dive

Matt Poti (left) and Dr. Brian Kinlan (right) use 3D visualization software to view deep coral model results.

Florida Event Response Funding Helps Jump-Start Citizen Science Monitoring for Red Tide and Hypoxia

Florida Event Response Funding Helps Jump-Start Citizen Science Monitoring for Red Tide and Hypoxia

NCCOS Event Response Examines Sea Turtle Mortalities and Dietary Exposure to Red Tide Toxins

NCCOS Event Response Examines Sea Turtle Mortalities and Dietary Exposure to Red Tide Toxins

Testing the Feasibility of Robotic Gliders to Monitor the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

Testing the Feasibility of Robotic Gliders to Monitor the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

Why are Toxic Pseudo-nitzschia Blooms Increasing in the Gulf of Maine?

Why are Toxic Pseudo-nitzschia Blooms Increasing in the Gulf of Maine?

Protecting Your Dog from Harmful Algal Blooms: Information and Resources

Keeping your dog safe from habs. Where are harmful algal blooms (HABs)? Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are commonly found in fresh and marine waters. The most common freshwater HABs are cyanobacterial blooms (cyanoHABs), also known as blue-green algae. You can't tell if a bloom is toxic by looking at it, but signs include: surface discoloration like green, brown, red or blue tint, thick, mat-like accumulations or scum on the shoreline and surface. HABS Effects on Dogs: Dogs may be exposed to toxins by drinking the water, eating washed up mats or scum of toxic cyanobacteria, digesting toxic fish or shellfish, and by having skin contact with water. Dogs are often attracted to algal scum odors. After leaving the water, dogs can also be affected by grooming their fur and paws. Signs of poisoning: Signs of poisoning can occur within minutes to a few hours after exposure. Common signs of poisoning include: repeated vomiting • diarrhea or bloody stool • abdominal swelling that is tender to the touch • bluish coloration of skin • stumbling, seizures, convulsions, paralysis • excessive salivation/drooling • disorientation • skin rashes What to do: When possible, don’t let your dog wade, drink the water or eat/walk in a lake or beach with a HAB. If you suspect your dog has been exposed, please remove them immediately, don’t let them lick their fur or paws, and rinse/wash them thoroughly with fresh water. Please closely monitor for any signs and immediately seek medical assistance if you observe any of the above signs of poisoning. KNOW WHERE TO GO: Check your local lakes & beaches: While NOAA and the EPA share jurisdiction over HABs, generally, freshwater blooms like cyanoHABs fall under EPA's purview and NOAA has responsibility over marine HABs. The two agencies share responsibility for the Great Lakes. State, tribal, and local governments monitor for HABs and their toxins at coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs and streams. Check your state and local public health agency websites for information about lakes and beaches in your area. FOR MORE INFORMATION: NOAA offers forecasts and emailed bulletins about HAB conditions in the nation’s ocean and coastal resources, and the Great Lakes. To learn more, please visit: https://go.usa.gov/xV4JC To learn more about freshwater HABs and their toxins, visit the EPA at: https://www.epa.gov/cyanohabs. You can also watch a video on how to protect your dog from HABs here: https://bit.ly/2Znqhv2

Underwater Robots Slated to Map, Measure Toxicity of Lake Erie Algal Blooms

Underwater Robots Slated to Map, Measure Toxicity of Lake Erie Algal Blooms

Researchers Explore Gulf of Mexico’s Moving ‘Phantom’ Bottom

image of autonomous underwater glider

Florida Governor Appoints NCCOS Scientist to Red Tide Task Force

Florida Governor Appoints NCCOS Scientist to Red Tide Task Force

Coral Reef Expedition Marks Fifteen Years of Discovery in Caribbean

Coral Reef Expedition Marks Fifteen Years of Discovery in Caribbean

NCCOS and GCOOS Soliciting Proposals for Assessing the Social and Economic Impacts of Florida Red Tide

NCCOS and GCOOS Soliciting Proposals for Assessing the Social and Economic Impacts of Florida Red Tide

NCCOS Assists Response to Cyanobacterial Blooms in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

NCCOS Assists Response to Cyanobacterial Blooms in the Northern Gulf of Mexico