Data from SeaWiFS have been incorporated into the EPA’s Advanced Monitoring Initiative
program, conducted in partnership with NOAA and the Naval Research Laboratory
to give early warning of harmful algal blooms. The pilot program located a bloom in the
Gulf of Mexico of the potentially harmful alga Karenia brevis by detecting the marine
plant’s optical signature. The program demonstrated that data from SeaWiFS can be
integrated into a successful operational effort, by helping states to identify potential
trouble spots and redirect monitoring and management efforts accordingly.