The U.S. Government is closed. This site will not be updated; however NOAA websites and social media channels necessary to protect lives and property will be maintained. To learn more, visit www.commerce.gov. For the latest forecast and critical weather information, visit www.weather.gov. 

The U.S. government is closed. This site will not be updated; however, NOAA websites and social media channels necessary to protect lives and property will be maintained. To learn more, visit commerce.gov. 

For the latest forecasts and critical weather information, visit weather.gov.

Projects Explorer

The NCCOS Project Explorer provides a snapshot of our official, discrete lines of research.
Filter by research category, region, and/or contact.

A Mechanism Based Intervention for Brevetoxin Induced Oxidative Stress

Atlantic Ocean, brevetoxicosis, Florida, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Karenia brevis, maggie.broadwater@noaa.gov, manatee, marine health, marine mammal health, Other Topics, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
The Florida manatee inhabits environments in which blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, frequently occur. K. brevis produces brevetoxins, that result in fish kills, ...
Read More

A Study of Gambierdiscus ‘Super Bugs’ and Ciguatoxin Fate in Coral Reef Food Webs

Florida, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, U.S. Virgin Islands
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most common algal-borne illness worldwide. It is a debilitating syndrome caused by consumption of fish contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs) ...
Read More

Advancing an Integrated HAB Detection and Monitoring System Across the San Francisco Estuary

California, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, Pacific Ocean, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
This project will improve monitoring and response to harmful blooms of cyanobacteria and marine algae and a suite of algal toxins they produce that have ...
Read More

Advancing the Receptor Binding Assay for Multi-Species Monitoring of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

Alaska, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, maggie.broadwater@noaa.gov, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, tod.leighfeld@noaa.gov, Washington
Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are produced by some types of harmful algal blooms. Shellfish can accumulate these toxins, causing severe illness or death when people ...
Read More

Aggression is a Symptom of Domoic Acid Poisoning in California Sea Lions

California, domoic acid, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, john.ramsdell@noaa.gov, Pacific Ocean, sea lions, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
To gain a better understanding of symptoms experienced by California sea lions caused by the toxin domoic acid, we are studying the relationship between aggression ...
Read More

An Early Warning System for Pseudo-nitzschia Harmful Algal Blooms on Pacific Northwest Outer-Coast Beaches

Coastal Change, dungeness crab, hab forecast, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, MERHAB, Oregon, pseudo-nitzschia, razor clam, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Washington
Blooms of some species of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia produce a neurotoxin that accumulates in shellfish, which can cause illness and even death in humans who ...
Read More

Application of Clay Flocculation for Removal of Karenia brevis Cells and Toxins in Southwest Florida Coastal Waters

clay, control, felix.martinez@noaa.gov, Florida, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Gulf of Mexico, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Karenia brevis, Other Topics, red tide, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
Despite routine application in Asia, clay flocculation technology to control harmful algal blooms has not been adopted in the U.S., largely because of the lack ...
Read More

Application of Quantitative Molecular Methods to Characterize Abundance and Distribution of Alexandrium Cysts for NOAA’s HAB Forecasting

Alaska, Alexandrium, Atlantic Ocean, benthos, California, Connecticut, cysts, Forecasting, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Maine, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Other Topics, Pacific Ocean, PSP, Sponsored Research, steve.kibler@noaa.gov, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Washington, Waterbodies
This project supports development for two lab-based quantitative molecular methods for more rapid, accurate detection of Alexandrium catenella resting cysts in sediment from the Gulf ...
Read More

Are Growth and Toxicity of the Dinoflagellate Alexandrium Controlled by Grazer-induced Defense?

Atlantic Ocean, Connecticut, ECOHAB, grazing, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, john.wickham@noaa.gov, Other Topics, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies, zooplankton
Blooms of Alexandrium fundyense result in economic losses to fisheries, aquaculture, and pose public health risks. Typically, A. fundyense growth and toxicity are seen as ...
Read More

Assessing How Nitrogen and Acidification Affect HABs in an Urban Estuary

Connecticut, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, maggie.broadwater@noaa.gov, New York, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
The Long Island Sound and surrounding New York and Connecticut coastal embayments receive excess nitrogen from wastewater, runoff, and other sources. This makes the area ...
Read More

Assessing Societal Impacts of Harmful Macroalgae Blooms in the Caribbean

Economics, Ecosystem Services Valuation, felix.martinez@noaa.gov, harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, macroalgae, Other Topics, PCMHAB, Puerto Rico, Sargassum, Social Science, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, U.S. Virgin Islands
We will examine how Sargassum seaweed blooms and their mitigation in the Caribbean affect multiple dimensions of social resilience, including economic impacts, human well-being, local ...
Read More

Assessing the Economic Benefits and Costs of Red Tide Control and Mitigation Strategies Along the South Florida Gulf Coast

brittany.king@noaa.gov, Florida, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Other Topics, Social Science, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
This project combines scientific research on Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) control technologies with economic survey and data methods to generate estimates of benefits and costs ...
Read More

Assessment of the Short- and Long-term Socioeconomic Impacts of Florida’s 2017-2019 Red Tide Event

Atlantic Ocean, Ecosystem Services Valuation, Florida, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Karenia brevis, marykate.rogener@noaa.gov, Other Topics, Social Science, socioeconomics, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
This project, funded by NCCOS through the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System, will comprehensively quantify and qualify the short- and long-term socioeconomic impacts ...
Read More

Azaspiracid: An Emerging Algal Toxin

Canada, Foreign Countries, greg.doucette@noaa.gov, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Ireland, Michigan, South Carolina, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Washington
Azaspiracids are a group of toxins first reported in the 1990s in Western European waters and are now reported to occur along both the East ...
Read More

Biscayne Bay PhycoNet

Florida, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, Other Topics, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
Why We Care Biscayne Bay is a coastal embayment in southeast Florida that has experienced rapid human population growth over the last century, resulting in ...
Read More

Causes and Consequences of Cell Death in the Toxic Dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense

Atlantic Ocean, Forecasting, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), harmful algal bloom, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, quay.dortch@noaa.gov, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Texas, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
Numerous studies have increased understanding of processes that lead to algal bloom initiation, growth, and transport but little is known about the causes of bloom ...
Read More

Characterization of an Algicidal Agent Produced by the Bacterium Shewanella

algacide, Chesapeake Bay, dinoflagellates, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, marc.suddleson@noaa.gov, Maryland, New Jersey, PCMHAB, shewanella, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Virginia, Waterbodies
We examined a biological control agent isolated from a bacteria species that may provide a mechanism for halting the growth of certain types of toxic ...
Read More

Characterization of Toxin Synthesis Pathways in Toxic Dinoflagellates

Alabama, Florida, Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico), Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Louisiana, Mississippi, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, Texas, Tod.Leighfield@noaa.gov, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies
During the past 25 years, the abundance, range, and variety of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their toxins have been increasing, impacting human and marine ...
Read More

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning: Identifying Toxic Species

Caribbean Sea, ciguatoxin, Florida, gambierdiscus, Guam, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, U.S. Virgin Islands, Waterbodies, wayne.litaker@noaa.gov
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most common, non-bacterial, seafood illness. The condition is caused by toxins from the microalga Gambierdiscus, and can lead to ...
Read More

Ciguatoxin Impacts on Foraging Behavior in Hawaiian Monk Seals

Biological Effects of Contaminants and Nutrients, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, Hawaii, john.ramsdell@noaa.gov, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories
Hawaiian monk seals, which are critically endangered, inhabit the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and the Hawaiian Islands. For the first time we have identified the ...
Read More

Climate Change and Acidification Impacts on Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes

Canada, Foreign Countries, Great Lakes, Harmful Algal Bloom Detection and Forecasting, maggie.broadwater@noaa.gov, Michigan, Ohio, Other Topics, reagan.errera@noaa.gov, Sponsored Research, Stressor Impacts and Mitigation, U.S. States and Territories, Waterbodies, Wisconsin
The Great Lakes experience recurrent toxin-producing cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs). While cHAB events have been well-studied in recent years, little attention has been given ...
Read More