Increased risk of harmful algal blooms is linked to open-pen salmon farming

“There is a strong correlation between the occurrence of toxic algal blooms and the [sic] aquaculture across the globe (Hallegraeff et al., 2021).”

“Conditions that favour algal blooms can arise from higher water temperatures […] and studies have shown that blooms can spread due to abrupt rise in nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, […] (Cressey, 2017).”  January 2024

“Eutrophication, human-mediated introduction of alien harmful species, climatic variability, and aquaculture have all been mentioned as possible causes of HAB [harmful algal bloom] trends at various spatial and temporal scales.”  8 February 2021

“TISC’s [the Tasmanian Independent Science Council] leading water quality expert Christine Coughanowr said Tasmania boasts some of the largest salmon cages in the world but the untreated pollution from a typical farm’s 20 cages is contributing to the algal blooms and oxygen crashes that will also be exacerbated by climate change.”  20 July 2023

“One of the significant environmental concerns associated with aquaculture is nutrient loading, which can lead to harmful algal blooms and other negative impacts on marine ecosystems.”  21 October 2024