Algal Blooms: Things To Know

Algal Blooms: Things To Know is a fact sheet led by Sea Grant NC and partners including NC State University, UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, Chowan-Edenton Environmental Group, NC Dept. of Environmental Quality, NOAA, and APNEP. 

Algae are photosynthetic organisms naturally found in aquatic environments. Under certain conditions, they multiply to high concentrations called blooms. Some blooms are blue-green algae capable of producing toxins that can cause skin irritation, illness or in rare instances death in pets, livestock and people. These blooms are known as harmful algal blooms or HABs. HABs appear to be on the rise in North Carolina’s Chowan River and Albemarle Sound. This has caused concern for communities and prompted researchers, managers and citizens to improve detection of HABs, and focus on better understanding their impacts and causes.