CEST2025

Increasing occurrence of toxic cyanobacterial blooms globally as a consequence of anthropogenic activities in freshwater threatens not only aquatic balance but also water security and quality. Moreover, the blooms cause significant economic losses to the water, health, tourism, and fishing industries. The implementation of thorough monitoring strategies for cyanobacteria, along with the evaluation of the risks of bloom incidents, and a plan for prevention and control measures, have become a necessity. With an array of in-lake control methods available, but little guidance on their efficiency makes it difficult to choose. Long term prevention through decreasing nutrient input from the catchment is crucial in reducing blooms and would be possible by the transition towards more sustainable agricultural practices, but it requires implementation strategies. The COST action, CYANOACTION, started in the autumn of 2024, aims to increase and broaden capabilities throughout Europe for effective and sustainable management of water resources using a catchment-wide approach. To achieve this, CYANOACTION seeks to establish a unique network of experts, end users, and stakeholders. Gathering and distributing information on early warning detection methods and experience in the effectiveness of both long and short-term control methods will underpin Decision Support Tools for water managers and authorities. These tools will ensure the selection of appropriate methods tailored to specific water bodies. The overarching goal is to increase the mutual exchange between scientific knowledge and management practices in order to decrease cyanobacterial blooms while considering the diverse characteristics of water bodies, their catchment, and the regulatory frameworks across Europe.