Oyster Photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Division P riority Issues : Wate rQualit y 

# Water Quality Priorities for Healthy Beaches and Seafood To help ensure healthy beaches and safe seafood in our coastal areas, the Alliance has identified fo ur water quality priorities that will guide the partnership’s effort s: (1) reducing risk of exposure to disease-causing pathogens, (2) minimizing occurrence and effects of harmful algal blooms (H ABs), (3) identifying sources of mercury in Gulf seafood, and (4) improving monitoring of Gulf water resources. These issues are far-reaching and are best addressed through regional-scale efforts such as the Alliance. 

### Long-term Goals Develop a monitoring network th at identifies the sources of pathogens and their impacts ◦ Implement a HAB tracking and forecasting system that supports the reduction or elimination of

blooms and can be used to mi nimize the negative effects ◦ Reduce the risk of mercury- induced health effects from Gulf seafood consumption ◦ Develop a monitoring network that provides vital information about the stat us and trends of Gulf

water quality ◦



### ACTIONS Water Qualit y 1: Patho g ens Action: Improve the understanding of waterborne, disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens), including their sources and survival so that coastal managers can make informed decisions that benefit public health and coastal economies. Expected Results: Revised microbial contamination indicators lead to increased beach prot ection from pathogens. ◦ Improved data is accessible for time-critical de cision making (e.g., issuance of public beach

advisories). ◦ State health departments are active, co llaborating partners of the Alliance. ◦ 

### Water Quality 2: Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
Action: Reduce the effects of HABs by improving our ab ility to detect, track, forecast, and mitigate HAB movement and their effects along the Gulf Coast. Expected Results: Citizens have enhanced knowledge about hum an health and ecosystem impacts from HABs, including the significance of ballastwater introductions of new species. ◦ Coordinated operational systems regularly detect , track, and forecast HAB movements through

the Gulf. ◦ Methods and training that he lp prevent, control, and mi tigate HABs are improved. ◦ 

### Water Quality 3: Mercury in Seafood
Action: Identify sources of mercury in Gulf fishery reso urces, understand its presence in the Gulf food web, and develop the ability to reduce the human health risk of exposure. Expected Results: 

## Pa g e 1 of 2 Gulf of Mexico Alliance: Priorit y Issues: Water Qualit y

7/22/2011 http ://www. g ulfofmexicoalliance.or g /issues/water _q uality .htmlMustang Island Photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Division Health risks are reduced by determining primary sources, predicting effects, and communicating information early concerning Gulf Seafood cons umption to public health advisory groups. ◦
Gulf citizens have an increased awareness and understanding of the mechanism by which

mercury enters the food chai n and accumulates in fish. ◦


### Water Quality 3: Monitoring
Action: Obtain and provide vital information about the conditions of Gulf waters to support better management decisions regarding coasta l fisheries, recreation, tourism, public health, an d infrastructure planning. Expected Results: Data collected from around the Gulf is of known and comparable quality. ◦ Increased public awareness and cost savings to monitoring programs are th e results of access to

and use of existing water quality information. ◦ Collaboration and cooperation among agencies and organizations perf orming water quality monitoring are increased. ◦ New data dissemination tools are developed to access and interpret wa ter quality data and

models. ◦


### Highlights of Governors’ Action Plan Accomplishments Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) detection and forecasting in the Gulf of Mexico The HAB Forecasting System provided by NOAA supplies information on the location, extent, and potential for development or movement of harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico. Harmful Algal Blooms Observing System (HABSOS) HABSOS is a regional, Web-based data and information dissemination tool. This Web site provides a secure data entry tool for collection of cell count observations of the algal species Karenia brevis. (top)

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## Pa g e 2 of 2 Gulf of Mexico Alliance: Priorit y Issues: Water Qualit y

7/22/2011 http ://www. g ulfofmexicoalliance.or g /issues/water _q uality .html