About ORHAB

What is ORHAB?

The Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) is a partnership among federal, state, tribal and local management and research agencies, marine resource-based businesses, and academic institutions. ORHAB investigates the origins of blooms of toxic algae, also known as harmful algal blooms (HABs), monitors where and when the blooms occur, assesses the environmental conditions conducive to blooms and toxification of shellfish populations, and explores methods to reduce HAB impacts on humans and the environment.

Initial ORHAB Project Funding

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Monitoring & Event Response to HABs (MERHAB)

Current ORHAB Funding

ORHAB was formed in 1999 to build regional capacity to reduce the devastating impacts of marine biotoxin outbreaks on coastal communities of the Olympic Peninsula. MERHAB recognized the potential of ORHAB’s collaboration among federal, tribal, state, local agencies and the private organization when it offered support for a 5-year monitoring partnership. ORHAB agreed to lay the groundwork for a permanent program of HAB monitoring and mitigation that would not rely on federal support.

A special account managed by the University of Washington’s Olympic Natural Resource Center (ONRC) was created by the Washington Legislature to promote scientific research that addresses the region’s high priority natural resource issues, including HABs. In 2003, the Legislature recognized the value of ORHAB and established a permanent source of funding for state activities through a surcharge to the cost of recreational shellfish licenses.  This surcharge was increased by the Legislature in 2015 to maintain ORHAB’s coastwide sampling effort which support decisions made by the two state agencies most involved in shellfish management, the Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Health.

Tribal governments have also recognized the need for HAB monitoring and research and have assumed costs for their staff support. Funds for equipment and supplies needed by Tribes for HAB monitoring are provided by the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) through National HAB Observing Network (NHABON) funds. The state-run ORHAB project recognizes the value of tribal partnerships and supports those programs with shared expertise, labs, supplies and data.