Cyanobacterial blooms increase in sea, lakes

Cyanobacterial observations have increased in both lakes and sea areas, said the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).

The situation, however, is typical for the late summer, said the SYKE in a recent press release.

Larger amounts of cyanobacteria have been observed in inland waters than in the previous week.

The observations are concentrated in eutrophic lakes and bays in the southern parts of Finland.

Cyanobacterial blooms have become more abundant along the coast and in the Archipelago Sea. In the open sea, significant cyanobacterial rafts have only been observed in the Bothnian Sea and in the western parts of the Gulf of Finland.

In late summer, the pigment released from cyanobacterial blooms may discolour water and beaches turquoise blue.

SYKE observes the cyanobacteria occurrence as part of the monitoring of the state of the environment.

This summer, cyanobacterial monitoring includes about 400 permanent observation sites across the country on inland and coastal waters and in the archipelago.

The SYKE usually reports on the national cyanobacterial situation on a weekly basis every Thursday from the beginning of June until the end of August.

The weekly algal reporting on the national cyanobacterial monitoring was launched in 1998.