[ISSHA] U.S. Nat'l Plan on Algal Toxins and HABs Questionnnaire

[Judy Kleindinst]

We apologize to those of you who will receive this message more than 
once; however, to ensure wide distribution we are sending this to 
several mailing lists.  Also, please note that this questionnaire 
relates to HAB issues affecting the U.S. Thank you for your 
understanding.

TO:    Members of the US HAB and Related Communities
FROM:    Steering Committee for the 2004 National Plan on Algal Toxins
and Harmful Algal Blooms
SUBJECT:   Your Input Requested

A Steering Committee has been charged to work with the Ecological
Society of America to develop a "U.S. National Plan for Algal Toxins and
Harmful Algal Blooms" with the purpose of providing consensus of the
U.S. scientific and management community on impediments to harmful algae
research and a vision for the next decade.  The Plan will serve as a
framework for initiatives to promote effective management of fisheries,
protected species, coastal resources, and public health on issues
involving harmful algal blooms.  We invite you to provide input to
assist in the development of the 2004 Plan.

We have prepared a  questionnaire to help assess the community's
perception of HAB research and monitoring successes, failures, and
future activities in the U.S. to gather input for prioritizing future
activities under the auspices of sustained Federal and state-sponsored
programs.  Your input is requested in the areas of Toxins, Bloom Ecology
and Dynamics, Food Webs and Fisheries, and/or Infrastructure.  Input
from the entire community will best define where we are today and more
importantly, where we should be headed in the coming decade to most
effectively manage fisheries, safeguard public health, and address
ecosystem problems from the increasingly frequent occurrence and
debilitating effects of HAB species in US coastal waters.

The Questionnaire may be completed and submitted on-line through the
2004 National Plan web site http://www.esa.org/HABPlan/questionnaire.php
The deadline for submittal is November 20, 2003.  Responses to the 
questionnaire
will be posted on the website for your review and updated as new 
responses are submitted.

Responses to this questionnaire will help guide a plenary discussion
scheduled for Wednesday morning December 10 during the US HAB Symposium
being held in Woods Hole (December 9-13, 2003).

The December 10 discussion in conjunction with input from the
questionnaire will be used to develop white papers that will serve as
the foundation for the 2004 Plan.  The White Papers will provide the
basis for detailed analysis by a panel of scientists and managers at a
workshop to be held March 2004 in Charleston, SC.

To insure the broadest possible input we encourage you to share this
questionnaire with other HAB workers you know who may not have received
it.   Please check the Project website -  http://www.esa.org/HABPlan 
for further
information on the 1993 and 2004 National Plans and to fill out the
questionnaire on-line.   If you have any questions concerning the
questionnaire, please contact rhonda at esa.org.

We look forward to your input in to this important activity.

Donald M. Anderson, Co-Chair
U.S. National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
508 289-2351
danderson at whoi.edu

John S. Ramsdell, Co-Chair
Marine Biotoxins Program
NOAA-National Ocean Service
843 762-8510
John.Ramsdell at noaa.gov

----------------
-- 
Judy Kleindinst
Biology Department, MS #32
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, MA   02543

Tel:	(508) 289-2745
Fax:	(508) 457-2027
jkleindinst at whoi.edu