The algal bloom in the Baltic Sea starts ever earlier

- We can see that the algal bloom starts ever earlier, now it already starts from midsummer while it previously started in July and August, says Anna Wall, marine biologist at the County Administrative Board in Kalmar County.

Over the past week, several observations of algal bloom have been made in Kalmar and Kronoberg counties, including outside Västervik, on the coast of northern Öland and in Lake Bolmen outside Ljungby.

According to the county administrative boards' joint information center for the actual Baltic Sea, which provides up-to-date information on algal blooms in the sea, it is not uncommon for algal blooms to start already at the end of June.

This year, however, the extent of flowering has been unusually large so far, which means that more people are noticing the growing cyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea.

"It usually starts to bloom now, but not to the extent that we have seen this weekend," said Emma Lemos, administrator at the Information Center for the Baltic Proper.

According to SMHI's satellite images, there are no major areas of flowering algae, growing cyanobacteria, near the coast of Kalmar. However, during Sunday there were collections of algal blooms outside Gotland, which are expected to drift south in the coming days.

- If there is algae bloom in the water where you are going to bathe, you can go to another bathing place, because the cyanobacteria can be toxic. It is most dangerous for children and dogs who get larger amounts of water when bathing, says Anna Wall.

- The algae like the same things as us, heat and stillness. When it is so hot and the water is still in a bay, local blooms can occur, which can then move very quickly, says Emma Lemos.