Harmful Algal Bloom Mitigation Feasibility
Assessed the feasibility of oxygen-enhancing technology to mitigate harmful algal blooms in South Australia, providing a science-based evaluation, environmental testing framework, and guidance for aquaculture and marine industry application.
Location: South Australia
Client/Sector: Marine industry / environmental technology assessment
Challenge:
A client sought expert advice on whether technology developed to increased dissolved oxygen could be a feasible option for mitigating effects of harmful algal blooms in South Australian waters. The assessment needed to consider not only the technical potential of the technology, but also its relevance to South Australian aquatic industries and the environmental testing required to determine both treatment efficacy and any unintended ecological impacts.
Aquatic Assessments Role:
Aquatic Assessments evaluated the feasibility of applying the technology to harmful algal bloom mitigation in a South Australian context. This included assessing how the proposed technology aligned with the operating conditions, risks and needs of local aquaculture and marine industries, and identifying the environmental monitoring and testing framework required to evaluate performance. The work considered how efficacy could be measured, what indicators would be needed to detect impacts on water quality and non-target ecosystems, and what evidence base would be required to support informed decision-making.
Outcome:
The project provided the client with a practical, science-based assessment of the technology as a potential harmful algal bloom mitigation tool, together with a framework for environmental testing and industry alignment to guide future trials or implementation.