Local News

Red Tide Algae Bloom Shows up Along Texas Coast

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Along the Rio Grande Valley and around Corpus Christi, The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has reportedly found an algae bloom known as red tide.

The Texas coast experienced red tide last year, and thankfully, it isn’t as bad this year, but it can still result in health issues. According to the Padre Island National Seashore’s Facebook page, “Red Tide is a HAB, or a harmful algal bloom, of small planktonic organisms called Karenia brevis. It is always present in the Gulf waters at very low levels (about 1-2 cells/ml), however, when it experiences a bloom, or a sudden population growth due to warm waters and an abundance of nutrients, it can quickly become a health issue.”

The algae can be deadly for fish. For humans, red tide can result in poisoning from eating shellfish impacted by the algae, and more likely, it can cause respiratory issues.

Anyone with a compromised immune system or history of asthma should re-think their trip to the beach while a red tide event is going on. It can also be harmful to pets. Take a look at the news or social media pages for local organizations to see what the algae levels look like in your area.