The case study covers the Earth Observation (EO) value chain, from detection, monitoring and forecasting of global Sargassum influxes in the tropical Atlantic, to providing free and open access to data and information needed to understand the Sargassum basin-wide spread, its impacts and inform mitigation and adaptation strategies. It identifies gaps in observation, monitoring and forecasting, and data access, and also puts forward recommendations to address these gaps. To highlight the European Union’s contribution along the value chain, concrete examples are presented of pan-European and European-led initiatives, projects and services to address challenges and problems related to Sargassum.
A number of experts from the GEO Blue Planet Working Group on Sargassum lent their expertise in the development of the case study.
This is the first of a series of case studies the EU4OceanObs team is developing on selected themes aligned with priority areas of EU4OceanObs, fed by the activities of the European coordination of GEO Blue Planet (e.g. Sargassum, marine litter, fisheries management, eutrophication) and G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Initiative (FSOI) (e.g. ocean carbon, marine biodiversity).