Red tide dataset in the waters around the Korean Peninsula

Abstract

Red tide blooms are increasing worldwide. Since 1995, Margalefidium polykrikoides blooms have occurred frequently in the waters around the Korean Peninsula. These blooms generally appear first on the South Sea of Korea in summer. When they occur on a large scale, they extend to the East Sea of Korea and the West Sea of Korea, causing great damage to fisheries and marine ecosystems. Harmless red tide can also adversely affect the environment of the waters by causing oxygen depletion in waters when occurring at high density. Currently, the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) is providing the daily red tide report based on M. polykrikoides red tide species. This report contains red tide species, location, and cell abundance information, but is limited to use as cell abundance data based on exact location. In addition, the waters around the Korean peninsula have different characteristics, so that the optical characteristics and seawater environment are different for each water. In the East Sea in Aug. 2013, the West Sea in Aug. 2016, the South Sea in Aug. 2018, and the South Sea in Aug. and Sep. 2019, during red tide season, dataset were obtained for red tide cell abundance, spectrum, chlorophyll concentration, and suspended particulate matter concentration. Noctiluca scintillans species were observed in the field survey conducted in 2016, and M. polykrikoides was mainly found in the other field surveys. Location-based red tide cell abundance data and seawater environment information obtained during red tide occurrence will be useful data for the construction of red tide warning system to reduce damage due to red tide blooms.