California Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Alert Program (Cal-HABMAP) Event Update, 2011-2012

News and events are also posted online at Photos of HAB events and red tides are available online at

  1. Southern California.

There was a moderate domoic acid event in Spring 2012 resulting in marine mammal strandings, with one positive DA stranding of a baleen whale in November 2011:

Stranded animal / Domoic Acid / Saxitoxin / Date / Location
baleen whale / positive / bdl / Nov 2011 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / bdl / bdl / Feb 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / bdl / bdl / Feb 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / bdl / bdl / Mar 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / positive / bdl / Mar 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / positive / bdl / Mar 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / positive / bdl / Apr 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / positive / bdl / Apr 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / bdl / bdl / May 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / bdl / bdl / May 2012 / San Diego, CA
dolphin / bdl / bdl / Jun 2012 / San Diego, CA

It has been a quiet year for marine mammal strandings in Los Angeles County. The Marine Mammal Center has taken in 237 animals to date. There have been no bloom events that have resulted in acutely exposedDA affected animals coming to the facility this year.

During all the months with marine mammals strandings, particulate DA was detected in water samples off Scripps Pier. San Diego County beaches also observed a fourth year of dense, green foam from the bloom forming prasinophyte, Tetraselmis spp. during the months of August (2009-2012). These blooms have lasted 2-5 weeks each year and have covered the beaches from La Jolla to Oceanside. No documented heath hazards have been recorded from swimmers. Also a persistent red-tide of L. polyedrum was recorded throughout most of southern California in late September 2011 that lasted till early November 2011.

The Orange County Sanitation District completed a sewage diversion during September/October 2012. It was closely monitored by a number of groups for potential HAB impacts, which (so far) have been minimal. Details are available at

Domoic acid concentrations in the plankton of southern California in the Santa Monica Bay and San Pedro Shelf regions were low for most of this time period. Samples collected at Newport Beach pier yielded some samples that were positive for domoic acid during April 2012, but the highest values observed were <1 µg/l of domoic acid in the particulate plankton. Pseudo-nitzschia cells were present throughout the year in plankton tow samples, mostly Pseudo-nitzschiadelicatissima cell types.

Samples collected at the City of Redondo Beach pier also yielded some samples that were positive for domoic acid during February 2012, but the highest values observed were ≤0.4 µg/l of domoic acid in the particulate plankton. Dissolved domoic acid concentrations attained somewhat higher, but still modest concentrations (1.90 µg/l).

The low-to-undetectable DA values observed in plankton from the region (but see Scripps Pier above) indicate that the stranded animals rescued in the southern California region that tested positive for domoic acid presumably were contaminated in offshore waters not monitored for domoic acid, or from areas to the north (e.g. Channel Islands) that experienced a significant domoic acid event during this time period.

Reported by Kerri Danil, Lauren Palmer, Dave Caron, and Melissa Carter, with other updates from SCCOOS.

  1. Santa Barbara Basin

2011 October 12 - reports of red tide in southern Santa Barbara county is verified by our data. Peak counts of Lingulodinium polyedrum (31,557 cells/L) and Prorocentrum spp. (164,096 cells/L) were seen at this time and counts declined to 0 by mid-November. Domoic acid below detection levels.

2012 January 30 - high counts for Pseudo-nitzschia (P. delicatissima 107,665 cells/L, P. seriata 113,698 cells/L) and slightly elevated domoic acid values, no mention of marine mammal issues or red tides in the media.

2012 July 9 - peak counts for Pseudo-nitzschia seriata (239926 cells/L), no mention of domoic acid in the local media.

2012 August 6 - peak counts for Dinophysis sp. (22276 cells/L). No mention of marine mammal issues in the local media

2012 September 2 - increase in Prorocentrum spp. (118803 cells/L) and local news about possible domoic acid poisoning from eating locally caught shellfish/anchovy/sardine. This August CDPH advisory was extended from the Ventura coast to the Santa Barbara coast and is still in effect

Reported by Janice Jones.

  1. Monterey Bay

There was minimal HAB activity in spring 2012. The autumn bloom started earlier than usual, resulting in the highest domoic acid levels measured at the Santa Cruz Wharf in the past decade for both particulate/dissolved DA and mussel tissue ( The bloom lasted for a few weeks and subsided, with no obvious impacts.

Red tide events have been conspicuously absents so far (through September 2012) in southern Monterey Bay.

Reported by Raphael Kudela and Art Seavey

  1. Sonoma Coast

Dense phytoplankton along the Bodega Line and red slicks alongshore on the open coast were reported in late September. The strong odor and bioluminescence characteristic of the HAB event last fall (2011) was evident. G. spinifera has been found in plankton samples. Samples are being collected for toxin analysis. It appears that G. spinifera has established itself in the region following last year’s unusual mortality event.

Reported by Steve Morgan and Laura Rogers-Bennett

  1. Bird Strandings

We experienceda major mortality eventaffecting pelicans along the coast, but the clinical and limited pathology work-ups were most suggestive of a stochastic event asa major contributor (skinny young-of-the-yearbirds were preferentially affected, live-stranded birds responded quickly to simple feeding and basic carein captivity).

Reported by Melissa Miller.

  1. California Sea Otters

Based on case overall case presentation,patterns were similar to past years: highest proportion of suspect DA cases in the southern portion of the sea otter range (e.g. south of the Big Sur Coast) and selected embayment areas. One new (dubious) record: Highest # of sea otter carcasses recovered ever in California (over 40 years of data collection) in 2011 (>300). Sea otter death due to shark bite was a major contributor over this past year; it is unknown how much domoic acid poisoning contributes to this. We had 1 or 2 confirmed, and1 or 2suspectmicrocystin cases in 2011 and 2012 so far. Samples are currently being confirmed by laboratory analysis.

Reported by Melissa Miller.

  1. California Department of Public Health.

Domoic acid was reported at high concentrations in Southern California in the first half of the year, with sentinel mussels reaching 100 ppm and exceeding the alert level in oysters at within Morro Bay. Domoic acid was also above the alert level in the first part of July for the Santa Barbara region, reaching concentrations of 84 ppm.

Gathered from CDPH monthly reports,