Credit: USGS and NASA Earth Observatory.
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are an escalating threat to public health, coastal economies, fisheries, and tourism — costing the U.S. economy hundreds of millions of dollars annually. As some of these blooms increase in frequency and severity, the need for reliable, timely, and fit-for-purpose HAB observing and mitigation services has never been greater. In response, the Dialogues with Industry: Harmful Algal Blooms series — part of the Ocean Enterprise Initiative — convened three targeted discussions in early 2025 to explore the economic dynamics and technological landscape of the HABs market sector.
Led in partnership with the Marine Technology Society, Global Ocean Observing System, NOAA, and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, the Dialogues brought together voices from government, academia, and industry to identify barriers, align incentives, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and operational services. Participants outlined 21 high-priority action pathways addressing eight cross-cutting challenges within three overarching priority areas, aimed at reducing HAB-related risks and enabling a more responsive, commercially viable ecosystem for HAB detection, forecasting, and response.
The series emphasized the urgent need to scale capacity, incentivize public–private–academic partnerships, and highlight the return on investment for communities and sectors affected by HABs. Recommended actions included forming dedicated working groups, recruiting new partners to help operationalize solutions, and building broader awareness of the economic and public health consequences tied to insufficient HAB monitoring and control.
The five reports and three recordings from the Dialogues with Industry: Harmful Algal Blooms series were published today on the Ocean Enterprise Initiative Publications website. This milestone reflects a year of collaborative effort to advance data services, technology applications, and a more resilient HABs market sector.
This work is authorized under the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act (33 U.S.C. §§ 4001 et seq.), which authorizes NOAA to detect and monitor harmful algae.
Citation: Dialogues with Industry – HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms) Summary Report (Report no. MTS-202505).
