Cooperation of Science and Management for Harmful Algal Blooms: Domoic Acid and the Washington Coast Razor Clam Fishery

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) may be increasing in frequency and intensity worldwide. Coastal economies suffer significant income losses when fisheries or beaches are closed to protect human health and subsistence fishing communities are at risk. Despite these hardships, managers must often conservatively close harvests across a wide area or for long periods, because they lack scientific information that would allow them to predict HAB events. The outer coast of Washington State has experienced several closures of the razor clam (Siliqua patula) fishery starting in 1991, due to domoic acid (DA) contamination caused by toxic blooms of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia. Improved science-based management was needed to minimize the impact of DA on this fishery and the coastal communities that relied on it for income, tourism, and subsistence. The Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) Partnership, comprised of state and tribal managers, scientists, and local stakeholders, evolved in response to this need; it has been successful in its mission. Here we examine ORHAB through the lens of the Institutional Analysis and Development framework, in order to identify key factors contributing to its success. The relevance of our findings for other ORHAB-like institutions in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere is discussed.