Unattended algal monitoring system-a high resolution method for detection of phytoplankton blooms in the Baltic Sea

Describes a method to record unattended, with high spatial and temporal resolution, phytoplankton biomass and related parameters from merchant ships. The system consists of a flow-through fluorometer, temperature and conductivity sensors, a GPS navigator, and a automated water sampler, all controlled by a personal computer. The logged data is transferred via a mobile telephone connection while the ferry enters into the harbour. The dense spatial sampling in combination with the frequent voyages make possible to detect the patchy plankton blooms reliably. The high-resolution sampling provides comprehensive data for long-term time series and trend analysis. The system has proved to be an appropriate tool for an operational warning system for exceptional and eventually harmful algal blooms in the Baltic Sea area