Monitoring algae in the Carribean

As sargassum decomposes on beaches, it releases disagreeable odours. Removal is time-consuming and expensive as mats can be several meters thick. Tourists are bothered by sargassum, and incoming rafts smother sea grasses and coral reefs, while fishermen struggle to get their boats in the water. Rafts also have an impact on baby and nesting fish and turtle populations.

The project objective is to develop and implement an innovative automated service based on Earth Observation (EO) data to monitor floating Sargassum algae in the Caribbean area, estimate their drift and eventual landings on the coasts, and provide dedicated bulletins to the end-users.