Working Group on Phytoplankton and the Management of their Effects

The chairman informed the working group of Council Resolution C Res 1989/2:26 which established 8 terms of reference.

a) Report on the factors (chemical, physical. and biological) responsible for the initiation of exceptional blooms with special reference to the Baltic;

b) assess and improve management techniques to carry stocks through harmful events;

c) review, evaluate, andreport on the toxicological information available on known and newly discovered algal toxins, and the methods for their detection and quantification;

d) document a14standard method for primary production estimates based on C fixation, including description of confidence limits that can be applied to the estimates.

e) ·prepare a review on the nutrient processes (i.e., the interaction between phytoplankton species and different nutrients;

f) exchange and analyze data derived from monitoring programmes to identify possible trends in the occurrence of harmful algae, and to improve monitoring programmes. This activity should include the evaluation of the establishment of a "Bloom" data base;

g) analyze the feasibility (in light of confidence to be placed on estimates) of the creation of a primary production data base and, if appropriate. specify characteristics of such a data base;

h) advise the Working Group on Marine Data Management on the implications of these data base needs so that it can develop the necessary handling procedure.