UCLA

Standard Development Goal (SDG) 14, which targets monitoring water quality and reducing marine pollution, is especially relevant to vulnerable coastal communities and ecosystems like Belize. To quantitatively assess progress toward SDG 14, measurement of chlorophyll-a concentrations via satellite data could be used as an effective way of monitoring coastal water. The remote sensing of chlorophyll-a has been successfully used in other regions of the world but has yet to be applied to Belize. This paper assesses chlorophyll-a algorithms for 145 studies determined in a relevant criteria literature search. These papers are narrowed down to 12 studies based on the factors such as coefficient of determination, algorithm accessibility, and relevance. Seven different algorithms are suggested for potential use on coastal waters in Belize, and one of these algorithms is tested to demonstrate seasonal trends in algae blooms in Belize. The results of this study suggest that there is potential in monitoring water quality in Belize through remote sensing of chlorophyll, and that further research validating chlorophyll-a algorithms with in-situ data is necessary.