OCN 780 Seminar | Developing the Pacific Ciguatera Network | Nalley
Presenter: Dr. Eileen Nalley
Title: Developing the Pacific Ciguatera Network
Ciguatera poisoning (CP) is the most common form of seafood poisoning affecting communities throughout Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. It occurs as a result of consuming seafood that has accumulated toxins produced by dinoflagellates (Gambierdiscus spp.). CP can cause a range of health impacts that can be chronic and severe, and it can also lead to behavioral changes that affect an individual’s likelihood to catch and share seafood, increase reliance on imported foods, and alter cultural practices. For the past three years PacIOOS and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant have been working with NOAA’s National Harmful Algae Bloom Observing Network, the Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, and cross-regional collaborators to support the development of the Pacific Ciguatera Network. This community of researchers, managers, and fishers represent more than 30 organizations working together to collaboratively address issues related to CP. To date efforts have included synthesizing the state of CP knowledge in the region, followed by strengthening a regional and cross-regional network and initial data collection. In Hawaiʻi samples have been collected from more than 20 locations in coordination with community and management collaborators, and Gambierdiscus spp. abundance and diversity are being examined. In American Samoa a community-led approach to sampling has included local high school students and educators, and the success of this model is leading to the development of a new postgraduate fellowship program. In the Marshall Islands a week-long workshop engaged numerous local agencies and cross-regional partners to address urgent questions affecting fisheries management. As this network expands, we hope to strengthen partnerships, explore new research questions, and fill longstanding data gaps at the intersection of the health of Pacific coral reef ecosystems and communities.
Location: MSB-100
Time: 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm
