EM2040 Water Column Sonar Data Collected During HB2201

Alexandrium catenella, commonly referred to locally as the New England “red tide” organism, is a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species that requires the careful management of shellfish resources to prevent Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) in New England and Canadian coastal waters. This algae species produces cysts that overwinter in the sediments of the Gulf of Maine. The abundance of these cysts in the sediment during the fall and winter is a strong predictor of the magnitude of HAB bloom events during the following year. This cruise will be the sixteenth year in which sediment samples are collected across a wide area of the Gulf of Maine to directly support the forecasting of HAB intensity and distribution for the coming year. The cruise will take place from February 8-17, 2022 and involve the collection and processing of sediment at 57 stations.