Harmful algal toxins have been well recognized as public health threats (James et al., 2010; Van Dolah, 2000), and a multitude of measures to prevent harmful algal blooms (HABs) derived health risks have been proposed and implemented (Trainer and Hardy, 2015). Coastal communities such as the Skokomish Indian Tribe, consuming a large amount of shellfish to meet their dietary needs are particularly vulnerable to such risks. Washington Department of Health (DOH) has been monitoring marine algal toxins in Puget Sound including coastal areas by collecting shellfish samples followed by mouse-based toxin analysis. To address on-going and future marine algal toxin issues in Hood Canal in the face of changing climate, the Skokomish Indian Tribe launched a research project to develop chemical analysis protocols for representative toxins using LC/MS and monitor algal bloom events. Eight toxins were selected for method development and monitoring Protocols for solid phase extraction combined with LC/MS analysis were developed. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) protocols for individual toxin compounds were developed and used to quantify toxin concentrations against standard curves established using certified toxin standard materials. From June through September 2017, we conducted weekly monitoring of algal toxin concentrations in sea water and phytoplankton samples from 13 monitoring sites, including Sequim Bay. No okadaic acid and dinophysistoxin-2 were detected throughout the sampling period, while a few alga toxin compounds were fluctuating over time. The details of spatial and temporal distributions of selected algal toxins in Hood Canal obtained from Summer of 2017 will be presented with a discussion about future directions for this initiative. The newly developed algal toxin analysis using LC/MS offers a promising tool to address some of public health and environmental issues associated with marine algal toxins in Hood Canal as well as possibly in the Salish Sea
