Harmful algal blooms (habs) in marine, estuarine, and great lakes coastal areas generate ecological and socioeconomic costs through a variety of mechanisms

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded a cooperative agreement totaling $404,597 to the University of Wisconsin - Madison on July 1, 2026, under the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research Coastal Ocean Program (CFDA 11.478).

The award funds an economic analysis of harmful algal blooms (HABs) across three geographically diverse study sites: Tampa Bay on Florida's west coast, the Long Island region, and the Green Bay system in the Great Lakes. The research examines both market-based costs (commercial fisheries, tourism) and nonmarket costs (human health threats, reduced recreation, degraded landscape amenities) associated with HABs at multiple temporal and spatial scales. The project will assess which costs can be mitigated through adaptation enabled by monitoring and forecasting, characterize the distribution of costs across regions, and develop benefit-cost analysis capabilities to support HAB reduction policy decisions.

Performance occurs in Madison, Wisconsin, with a period of performance from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. The competitive research program prioritizes peer-reviewed, actionable science supporting management and policy decisions for coastal ecosystem protection and community economic vitality. Multi-year awards under this program are contingent on continued appropriations and satisfactory progress toward project objectives.

Some of these relate to market goods such as commercial fisheries and tourism sectors. Many others are nonmarket in nature, including threats to human health, reduced outdoor recreation, and degraded landscape amenities. In addition, different species of algae are of concern in different regions, costs occur at multiple temporal and spatial scales, and the distributional consequences of habs are likely to vary with location and the type of cost. This project will examine the costs of habs at three diverse study sites to understand the benefits and costs of changes in the frequency, extent, and duration of habs in representative marine, estuarine, and great lakes contexts; assess which costs can be mitigated through adaption possibilities enabled by monitoring and forecasting; characterize the distribution of costs and the benefits of HAB mitigation efforts; and develop benefit-cost analysis capabilities for assessing HAB reduction policies. The study sites include two estuarine/marine sites (the west coast of florida, centered on tampa BAY, and the long island region) and a great lakes site (the green BAY system).