Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are caused by excessive growth of marine algae which either release harmful toxins that can kill fish and shellfish, or create an environment in which fish are unable to survive; for example, through lack of dissolved oxygen. In European waters, the annual cost of HABs to the aquaculture and tourism industries is measured in hundreds of millions of Euros, and poor water quality also adversely affects many other maritime industries.

The HAB monitoring and alerting system provided by PML Applications is based on long track record of cutting-edge research by specialist Earth observation scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Making use of data from optical sensors aboard multiple ESA and NASA satellite missions, we are able to identify the location and extent of HABs, alerting interested parties to the situation before it becomes a major issue.