From the mountains to the sea: algal bloom and the Hawkesbury River System

Abstract

Algal blooms are not a new phenomenon and have plagues humans for centuries. However, the increasing sclare and frequency of the blooms and the variety of species and habitats in which they are occurring, not to mention the economic impacts, is cause for alarm. In Australia problem blooms can be found in all aquatic environments including freshwater, estuarines and to a lesser degree, marine-dominated environments. Up until recently, algal blooms rated only a passing mention in the media despite scientific studies and warnings from concerned scientists going back many years. This situation is exacerbated by the nature of government decision-making which seems to dictate that a response occurs when sufficient media and public reaction demands action.