File:The Banc d'Arguin National Park, Mauritania.jpg

English: This image, acquired on 2 January 2021 by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites, shows the Banc d'Arguin National Park off the coast of Mauritania. The Banc d'Arguin National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the major breeding site for migratory birds from northern Europe, Siberia and Greenland, including flamingos, broad-billed sandpipers, pelicans and terns. The surrounding waters are amongst the richest fishing waters in western Africa and serve as nesting grounds for the entire region. The bloom in the waters of the Banc D’Arguin visible in this image is due to a combination of phytoplankton and sediments. The particular climatic conditions of the area allow a continuous mixing of the cold and nutrient-rich waters, facilitating a persistent phytoplankton bloom throughout the year. Blooms are indicators of the health of a marine ecosystem, and therefore, their monitoring is a key component of effective management of coastal and oceanic resources. The Copernicus Sentinel missions provide high frequency data useful for monitoring the water quality of coastal waters.