Inhabitants of Southern Finland look for algae-free lakes

Blue-green algae rafts to be expected on the surface of the Gulf of Finland for the next few days

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Large rafts of blue-green algae drifting in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Finland are forcing some inhabitants of Southern Finland to look for cleaner shores in inland areas, real estate agents in Southern Savo report.
      "People walk in and ask whether or not we have lakeside cottages and plots available on shores free from algae", says Anita Mouhu from the Kiinteistömaailma real estate agency’s Savonlinna branch.
      Jarkko Kuolimo from the same agency’s Mikkeli branch notes that nearly all clients who are interested in buying a holiday home in the area ask if the lakes are free from algae.
     
Nevertheless, the prices and demand for summer cottages on the south coast have not as yet been affected by the algae problem.
      On the contrary, the prices of summer homes in Inkoo, Tammisaari, and Hanko are going up constantly, and the demand has been keener than last summer, says Pasi Saari from the Tammisaari office of realtor Huoneistokeskus.
     
Masses of blue-green algae are again visible in the entire Gulf of Finland. The algae situation has worsened from last week, and no relief is in sight.
      Very large amounts of algae have also been found in the southern parts of the Archipelago Sea, and in the sea areas south of the Aland islands.
      "If the current calm and warm weather continues, the situation will not improve”, says researcher Vivi Fleming-Lehtinen from the Finnish Institute of Marine Research (FIMR).
     
Thick oatmeal-like masses of algae have accumulated on the surface waters of Helsinki’s district of Jollas. On Tuesday afternoon, the water looked as if someone had emptied a truckload of pea soup into the sea.
      A similar greenish sea view opens from the fortress island of Suomenlinna towards the east, where yachts are cruising among large rafts of algae.
     
In order to reduce the amount of blue-green algae, strong measures would be needed.
      According to senior researcher Heikki Pitkänen from the Finnish Environment Institute, the amount of phosphorous released from the sediment on the bottom of the Gulf of Finland is already so massive that an individual citizen’s attempts to improve the situation are largely futile.
      "The most effective and rapid way to reduce algae blooming in the outer archipelago and in the open sea areas would be to clean up St. Petersburg’s waste water", Pitkänen remarks.
      The coastal waters and particularly the islands of the Archipelago Sea could be improved considerably by domestic agricultural emission restrictions.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Gulf of Finland has slightly higher oxygen level than last summer (14.8.2007)
  Warm August weather favours growth of algae both at sea and in lakes (9.8.2007)
  Experts fear more toxic blue-green algae than last year (29.5.2007)
  Removal of phosphorous from St Petersburg waste water to begin next year (11.10.2005)

Links:
  Finnish Institute of Marine Research
  Finnish Environment Institute

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