Dr. Beatriz Reguera, researcher at the Instituto Español de Oceanografia in Vigo has been committed to all main initiatives of the Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) programme since its establishment 20 years ago. She was Chair of the ICES-IOC Working Group of HAB Dynamics and of the Intergovernmental Panel of HAB. She was a key person in supporting the establishment in October 1996 of the IOC-IEO Science and Communication Centre in Vigo which for more than 14 years supports training and communication activities of the HAB programme. More