Getting to Know the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Phenomenon and Its Impact on Indonesian Marines
Department of Marine Science and Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) IPB University held a Marine Science Webinar. The Marine Science Webinar which was recently held raised the topic "Climate Change and Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)" with Dr Tumpak Sidabutar from the Oceanographic Research Center, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) as the guest speaker.
In his remarks, Dr Beginner Subhan, Secretary of the Department of Marine Science and Technology said that HAB is a phenomenon that has not been studied consistently. "Alhamdulillah, one of the HAB figures in Indonesia, even the world, Mr. Tumpak is willing to provide material regarding the phenomenon of this HAB itself," he said.
In this activity, Dr Tumpak began explaining HAB from Climate Changes and the factors that cause HAB. The trigger for HAB itself occurs due to climate change, mainly eutrophication. HAB itself has an impact, one of which is on the life of marine biota.
"The increasing of Algal Bloom or HAB, it's all caused by increased nutrients. The effects of HAB itself do not only have an impact on biota life, but also the survival of humans. HAB effects may occur globally and their distribution is increasing. For example increased cultivation activity (organic waste), long-term climate change and translocation. Algal bloom itself often occurs in coral areas because increased nutrients tend to be in that location," he said.
According to him, HAB has been happening since the 1970s but people only became aware of this phenomenon when the impact of this phenomenon was felt.
“The species of HAB itself are also divided into three categories. Namely harmless, harmful, and toxic. Harmful and toxic are species that endanger fish. One of the ways we can handle HAB is by reducing the existing nutrients and putting them in rivers and estuaries. Early warning from HAB itself can also be seen in changes in color, population density, chlorophyll-a, nutrients and toxin levels," he concluded. (AFD/RAT/Zul) (IAAS/Res)
