Applications

(harmful) Algae bloom detection and timing

Satellite detection of Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) is required in many regions where toxic or otherwise harmful algae may impact on economic resources such as fisheries, aquaculture or tourism. For example, satellite data:

• generally gives information only on algae biomass and not on harmfulness
• is available only in cloud-free periods
• only gives information on near-surface blooms.

Despite these limitations, satellite chlorophyll information can be very useful for (H)AB detection, where the harmfulness is related to the high biomass, as is the case for Phaeocystis globosa in Belgian waters, or where the HAB species dominates the phytoplankton community. In general the satellite data will be combined with some in situ data. AB alert systems are now routinely available for most North Sea waters, e.g. within the MARCOAST project.

In a recent study (Astoreca et al., 2008) an algorithm for detecting Phaeocystis globosa blooms in North Sea waters was developed.