Eutrophication: High risk of algal bloom

Author: BalticSea2020
Year published: 2014

Algal bloom most often occur in the summer. This year, according to the algae prognosis from the Finnish Environment Institute’s Marine Research Centre, the risk of algal blooms along the Swedish east coast are high. The reason is that it is much phosphorus in the water, which can promote the blooming.

In the western Baltic Sea the risk of algal bloom is high. In the Bay of Bothnia, the majority of the Bothnian Sea and the eastern parts of the Gulf of Finland, the risk of algal blooms are low. Last year, according to the annual summery (in Swedish) of the County Administrative Board of Stockholm (2013), the algal bloom arrived relatively early. However, the algal blooms held on unusually along and mostly offshore.

The summer weather is the decisive factor determining how the algal blooms are going to be this year. If the summer is warm and windless, the risk increases.

Read the full prognosis here.

Our focus areas

fisheryThe stock of predatory fish is crucial for the state of the Baltic Sea. Therefore, the Foundation worked to ensure that the environmental effects of fishing should be a central part of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. The Foundation also worked on projects to increase the proportion of predatory fish, such as cod, pike and perch. Read more

eutroEutrophication is caused by emissions of nutrients that come from e.g. agriculture, water treatment plants, sewage and transportation. To find measures that could reduce emissions the Foundation worked on projects in agriculture, industrial animal farms and the coastal zone, to research on measures to catch or bind nutrients. Read more

seagull-informationTo create awareness about the threats and opportunities the Baltic Sea is facing, the Foundation initiated a 10-year media and film project with journalist Folke Rydén and photographer Mattias Klum. The Foundation has also supported Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre (Baltic Eye), and Baltic Sea Science Center at Skansen. Read more