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News, reports, and features from previous years
Annual Gulf of Maine HAB Sampling Cruise Completed to Inform Red Tide Forecast (November 2023)
2023 Lake Erie Algal Bloom More Severe than Predicted by Seasonal Forecast (November 2023)
NOAA, partners announce below-average 'dead zone' measured in Gulf of Mexico (August 2023)
NOAA, partners to report on 2023 Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ monitoring cruise (August 2023)
Smaller harmful algal bloom predicted for Western Lake Erie in summer 2023 (June 2023)
NOAA forecasts smaller than average ‘dead zone’ for Gulf of Mexico In summer 2023 (June 2023)
NOAA predicts a moderate harmful algal bloom for Lake Erie this summer (May 2023)
2022 Lake Erie Algal Bloom More Severe than Predicted by Seasonal Forecast (November 2022)
Below-average harmful algal bloom predicted for western Lake Erie (June 2022)
Researchers Identify Sources of Nitrogen in Macroalgae in Hawaii (June 2022)
Scientists Train Underwater Gliders to Find, Track Harmful Algal Blooms (June 2022)
NOAA forecasts summer 'dead zone' of nearly 5.4K square miles in Gulf of Mexico (June 2022)
NOAA Predicts a Smaller than Average Algal Bloom for Lake Erie this Summer (May 2022)
Low to Moderate Red Tide Bloom Predicted for Gulf of Maine in 2022 (May 2022)
2021 Lake Erie Algal Bloom was More Severe than Predicted by Seasonal Forecast (November 2021)
Larger-than-average Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ measured (August 2021)
Smaller summer harmful algal bloom predicted for western Lake Erie (June 2021)
NOAA Forecast Predicts Occurrence of Pathogenic Vibrio Bacteria in Chesapeake Bay (June 2021)
NOAA forecasts average-sized ‘dead zone’ for the Gulf of Mexico (June 2021)
Low, Gulf-Wide Bloom Predicted for Gulf of Maine Red Tide in 2021 (May 2021)
Gulf of Maine Alexandrium catenella Predictive Models (May 2021)
Hypoxia in Tropical Marine Ecosystems, the Understudied Stressor (May 2021)
Smaller-than-expected Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ measured (August 2020)
Moderate summer harmful algal bloom predicted for western Lake Erie (July 2020)
VIDEO: NCCOS Sensor Measures Toxicity of Lake Erie Algal Bloom in Near Real-Time (July 2020)
Larger-than-average ‘dead zone’ expected for Gulf of Mexico (June 2020)
Low to Moderate Bloom Predicted for Gulf of Maine Red Tide in 2020 (May 2020)
NCCOS Funds Investigation of Bioluminescent Red Tide Event Off Southern California Coast (May 2020)
This year’s Gulf of Mexico “dead zone”— an area of low oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is approximately 6,952 square miles, according to NOAA-supported scientists.
NOAA and its research partners are forecasting that western Lake Erie will experience a significant harmful algal bloom (HAB) this summer.
NOAA scientists are forecasting this summer’s Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone or ‘dead zone’ – an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and other marine life – to be approximately 7,829 square miles or roughly the size of the land mass of Massachusetts. The annual prediction is based on U.S. Geological Survey river flow and nutrient data.
A new NOAA forecast shows public health officials in Maryland and Virginia when and where the pathogenic Vibrio vulnificus bacteria is most likely to be found in Chesapeake Bay.
NOAA and its research partners predict that western Lake Erie will experience a harmful algal bloom (HAB) of cyanobacteria this summer that is larger than the mild bloom in 2018.
Researchers with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are predicting a small, red tide for the Gulf of Maine this summer, continuing the pattern of smaller blooms observed in the region over the last few years.
NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) is pleased to announce support for 28 new and continuing harmful algal bloom (HAB) research awards in 2018. These awards, totaling $6.8M, fund projects around the nation and involve over 85 scientists across 54 institutions around the United States.
An unusually persistent harmful algal bloom (red tide) is currently affecting portions of the southwest coast of Florida. View frequently asked questions related to this event.
NOAA-supported scientists have determined that this year’s Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” — an area of low oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is approximately 2,720 square miles (7,040 square kilometers), an area about the size of Delaware. This summer’s dead zone size is the fourth smallest area mapped since 1985 and is smaller than the 5,780 square miles forecast by NOAA in June.
NOAA and its research partners predict that western Lake Erie will experience a harmful algal bloom (HAB) of cyanobacteria this summer that is smaller than in 2017 but larger than the mild bloom in 2016.
NOAA scientists are forecasting that this summer’s Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone or ‘dead zone’ – an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and other marine life – will be approximately 5,780 square miles, approximately the size of Connecticut.
New NOAA-sponsored research describes a paradigm shift in our understanding of the conditions that control eutrophication (nutrient overenrichment) and harmful algal blooms (HABs) across the freshwater-to marine continuum, and offers potential watershed-scale management strategies to combat the global expansion of HABs.
Scientists have identified four kinds of algal toxins in mussels collected from San Francisco Bay. The study, published in Harmful Algae, is the first to report the co-occurrence of both freshwater and marine toxins in mussels consumed by humans and animals.
A harmful algal bloom (HAB) of Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, has been detected within some coastal areas of southwest Florida. During a HAB event, NOAA issues twice weekly bulletins to monitor bloom conditions and the potential for impacts.
Concerns regarding a large cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom (HAB) of Microcystis spp. and Planktothrix spp., which developed on the Maumee River adjacent to Toledo, Ohio in mid-September, led NOAA scientists to provide event response funds for initial testing and monitoring of the HAB for toxins.
NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science has awarded $1.68 million in FY17 funding for nine research projects to identify conditions that increase bloom toxicity; model toxin movement from water into shellfish, fish, and marine mammals; and improve toxin monitoring and forecasts.
Scientists have determined this year’s Gulf of Mexico “dead zone,” an area of low oxygen that can kill fish and marine life, is 8,776 square miles, an area about the size of New Jersey. It is the largest measured since dead zone mapping began there in 1985.
After analyzing satellite and model data, NOAA’s experts say coral reefs around the world may finally catch a break from high ocean temperatures that have lingered for an unprecedented three years, the longest period since the 1980s.
NOAA and its research partners predict that western Lake Erie will experience a significant harmful algal bloom this summer, potentially reaching levels last seen in 2013 and 2014, though smaller than the record bloom of 2015.
After analyzing satellite and model data, NOAA’s experts say coral reefs around the world may finally catch a break from high ocean temperatures that have lingered for an unprecedented three years, the longest period since the 1980s.
Federal scientists forecast that this summer’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone — an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and other marine life — will be approximately 8,185 square miles, or about the size of New Jersey.
Scientists expect this year’s summer Chesapeake Bay hypoxic or “dead zone”— an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and aquatic life — will be larger than average, approximately 1.89 cubic miles, or nearly the volume of 3.2 million Olympic-size swimming pools.
In January, NCCOS-sponsored scientists began harmful algae and algal toxin monitoring in California estuaries. The monitoring is part of a collaborative NOAA–state response to recent research showing that a mixture of marine and freshwater toxins can reside in estuarine waters. The research found that this toxic "cocktail" could also be fatal to shellfish, sea otters, and other animals in these habitats.
NOAA and its research partners predict that western Lake Erie will experience a less severe bloom than the record-setting one experienced last year during the harmful algal bloom season. The outlook reflects less discharge from the Maumee River and a return to an average nutrient runoff into the lake.
Many coral reefs across around the world will likely be exposed to higher-than-normal sea temperatures for an unprecedented third year in a row, leading to increased bleaching—and with no signs of stopping.
Scientists expect that this year's mid-summer Chesapeake Bay hypoxic low-oxygen zone or "dead zone" – an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and aquatic life – will be approximately 1.58 cubic miles, about the volume of 2.3 million Olympic-size swimming pools. This is close to the long-term average as measured since 1950.
Scientists forecast that this year's Gulf of Mexico dead zone – an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life – will be approximately 5,898 square miles or about the size of Connecticut, the same range as it has averaged over the last several years.
This summer the Gulf of Maine red tide is predicted to be the smallest observed over the last eleven years.
NOAA and agency partners continue to monitor a bloom of Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism that has been persisting in some coastal areas in Southwest Florida.
View current year forecasts and a map of key ecological "hotspots" around the nation.
Learn about ecological forecasting and how NOAA predicts ecological change.
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