Rarotonga, the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands, is a popular destination for beach-loving tourists who enjoy swimming, snorkeling and boating in its picturesque lagoon. However, between November 2003 and May 2004, Rarotonga was hit with a debilitating "irritant syndrome" characterized by painful burning sensations, skin rashes, throat irritation, and breathing difficulties. Thought to be caused by a harmful algal bloom (HAB), the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) established a water quality monitoring program in order to be better prepared for future outbreaks. Yet continued problems with poor water quality and fish poisoning continued to plague Rarotonga's fragile environment as well as its economy, which relies heavily on tourism sector.

Last year, MMR was able to purchase the YSI EMM68 automated water quality monitoring buoy with funding support provided by the Australian government agency AusAid. Thanks to this much-needed upgrade to MMR's water quality monitoring program, paradise may not be lost after all.

Deployed in the Muri lagoon, the solar-powered buoy monitors water temperature, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, blue great algae and chlorophyll, sending data to MMR staff every 15 minutes via satellite. This automated system has been a crucial step towards mitigating algae problems in the Cook Islands since it eliminates the need to send manual water samples to New Zealand for analysis - a time consuming and expensive process. Real-time, automated water quality data has also enabled MMR to issue timely and effective public health warnings when the threat of an algal bloom is detected.

Improved monitoring is a crucial first step towards developing a long term strategy to preserve the unique marine environment of the Cook Islands. Though reports of HAB's in the Pacific Islands date back to the 17th century, population growth, poor effluent discharge practices and poor coastal development planning have greatly increased both the rate and impact of toxic algae outbreaks. The long-term benefits of investing in an automated water quality monitoring system are already apparent. Local government officials have been able to use the data obtained from the buoy to promote improved farming practices. Additionally, researchers are using the improved water quality data to design different sanitation systems better suited to the unique environment of Rarotonga.