The largest
toxic algal bloom since 1986 has spread along the Texas Gulf Coast
from Matagorda Bay to Okaloosa and Walton counties in the Florida
Panhandle, as well as Galveston Bay and other inlets. The bloom,
known as red tide, is large enough to be detected on satellite
imagery.
Millions of fish have been killed by the tide, which affects their
central nervous systems. Their bodies have washed up along Gulf
Coast beaches where they lie rotting. Oyster harvesting in Galveston
Bay has been shut down since September 5th after the bloom was
first observed. In 1986, a similar algal bloom killed an estimated
22 million fish within four months.
Dave Buzan,
spokesman for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Kills and
Spills Team, said, "We do not have an accurate number yet.
But we are estimating several million fish have been killed so
far."
Toxins from
the tide cause a variety of symptoms in humans, including respiratory
distress, nausea, fever, muscle paralysis and, in extreme cases,
even death. People with chronic respiratory problems, such as
asthma or emphysema, were advised to take precautions to avoid
beaches where the tide is proliferating.
Kay Moore,
an employee at Half Hitch Tackle near Fort Walton Beach, Florida,
said, "If you've ever breathed it, it's easy to recognize.
It's like breathing battery acid or something."
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