Phytoplankton of South Australia - Citizen Sciene Vs The Bloom
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Fleurieu Marine Education are teaming up with Phytoplankton of South Australia to show you how they have been monitoring our seas for the last year. Come and hear what they have learnt and how you can get involved.
The Harmful Algal Bloom in South Australia began in March 2025 on the Fleurieu Peninsula. With little available data, the Phytoplankton of South Australia Citizen Science Group formed to fill that gap.
Since then, they have grown to cover from Port Lincoln to the Coorong, monitoring our coastal waters, lead by Samantha Sea. And it all started here in Victor Harbor.
The group has attracted the attention of algal taxonomy specialists from around Australia, and the world! The group uses microscopes to examine water samples and report what they see. Specialists can see the results on the Facebook page and provide feedback and identifications. They receive samples from all around the state. They have been in close communication with SARDI Aquatic Sciences and their input of citizen science monitoring will be vital in assisting with long term, regional, water quality monitoring as the Harmful Algal Bloom transpires.
They were a finalists for the SA Volunteer Awards and they have been shortlisted for SA Environmental Awards for Citizen Science for 2026 (winners to be announced on World Environment Day, June 5). Samantha Sea has also been awarded OzFish Unlimited's Ozfisher of the Year for South Australia.
Come and join us for an afternoon of phytoplankton fun and learn all about what has been done at grassroots level and what you could do to contribute to water monitoring. Samantha will bring her microscope and show us some of the plankton she has learnt to identify over the last year and help us make sense of it all.
The Harmful Algal Bloom in South Australia began in March 2025 on the Fleurieu Peninsula. With little available data, the Phytoplankton of South Australia Citizen Science Group formed to fill that gap.
Since then, they have grown to cover from Port Lincoln to the Coorong, monitoring our coastal waters, lead by Samantha Sea. And it all started here in Victor Harbor.
The group has attracted the attention of algal taxonomy specialists from around Australia, and the world! The group uses microscopes to examine water samples and report what they see. Specialists can see the results on the Facebook page and provide feedback and identifications. They receive samples from all around the state. They have been in close communication with SARDI Aquatic Sciences and their input of citizen science monitoring will be vital in assisting with long term, regional, water quality monitoring as the Harmful Algal Bloom transpires.
They were a finalists for the SA Volunteer Awards and they have been shortlisted for SA Environmental Awards for Citizen Science for 2026 (winners to be announced on World Environment Day, June 5). Samantha Sea has also been awarded OzFish Unlimited's Ozfisher of the Year for South Australia.
Come and join us for an afternoon of phytoplankton fun and learn all about what has been done at grassroots level and what you could do to contribute to water monitoring. Samantha will bring her microscope and show us some of the plankton she has learnt to identify over the last year and help us make sense of it all.
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Where is it happening?
Victor Harbor Whale Centre, Victor Harbor, SA, Australia, South Australia 5211
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherFleurieu Marine Education
