Short Presentation (chance to upgrade) Australian Marine Sciences Association 2026 Conference

South Australia’s unprecedented Harmful Algal Bloom: an overview of the operational oceanographic response and future monitoring and forecasting research initiatives. (139762)

Mark J Doubell 1 , Hugo Bastos de Oliveira 1 , Charles James 1 , Ian Moody 1 , Paul Malthouse 1 , Andrew Hutchison 1 , Jordan Kent 1 , Mary Gordon 1 , Nagur Cherukuru 2 , Mike Brosnahan 3 , Vanessa Haggans 3
  1. SARDI, West Beach, SA, Australia
  2. Environment, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT, Australia
  3. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Biology Department, Massachusetts, USA

Since the start of South Australia’s unprecedent harmful algal bloom (HAB) event the SARDI Oceanography Subprogram has been proactively involved in the response by supporting sampling to understand the ecology of the bloom and producing regular situational updates on the status and movement of the bloom using remote sensing and oceanographic models. This presentation will provide an overview of the oceanographic tools and products used inform the bloom response and an assessment of the bio-physical relationships identified during the bloom. Future collaborative monitoring and modelling initiatives, including the integration of near real-time moorings using a variety of HAB and water quality sensor technologies, and regional surveys using Insitu Flowcytobots, being implemented by the South Australian Office of Algal Bloom Research to advance our understanding of HAB dynamics and forecasting will be presented.