Researchers at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations are using global datasets and predictive maps to track down potential hotspots for fish-killing blooms in parts of the ocean where monitoring data are scarce.
Harmful algal blooms pose a growing threat to coastal communities, fisheries, and marine ecosystems. But most regular algae sampling to date has focused on well-resourced regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
This pilot project could help prioritize future monitoring efforts and ultimately guide early warning systems worldwide.
The case isn’t closed yet, but our researchers are charting a path towards early detection and better protection for coastal communities worldwide.
