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GALVESTON, Texas -- Boaters, swimmers and anglers heading to upper Texas coast beaches this Labor Day weekend should stay tuned to the latest information on red tide, a naturally occurring bloom of algae that is toxic to fish and can also cause respiratory problems for people.
At present, there are no reports of red tide on the main tourist beaches in the Galveston area. There have been reports of tens of thousands of dead fish washing ashore and red tide just offshore in isolated areas near Freeport.
The current problem is considered relatively minor. A much larger red tide outbreak killed 22 million fish in Texas in 1986. This year, an estimated more than 50,000 fish have been killed in Texas since red tide was first reported about two weeks ago offshore in the Gulf south of Port Arthur. Affected fish species include speckled trout, star gazers, mullet, croaker, red drum (redfish) and black drum.
On Aug. 30, red tide and dead fish were seen in the water in a strip about a half mile wide running from just west of San Luis Pass to Surfside near Freeport. Red tide and dead fish were also seen in the Gulf near San Luis Pass at the west end of Galveston Island, extending into West Galveston Bay for about 2 miles. There were similar reports from the Quintana jetties near Freeport, at the mouth of the Brazos River and the mouth of the San Bernard River. The Texas Department of Health is also monitoring the situation. Seafood such as crab, shrimp and fish should be safe from red tide contamination, although no one should eat fish found sick or dead. Seafood currently on the market and in restaurants should be safe for consumption. Ocean spray blown by sea breezes near red tides can cause human respiratory, nose, throat and eye irritations. So far, the Surfside area is the only place where such problems have been reported in Texas this year.
To keep the public informed, Texas Parks and Wildlife is providing regular updates via its Web site and toll-free phone hotline. There is a prominent link on the TPW Web site home page (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/) to red tide information, including the latest sightings on the coast as well as frequently asked questions. The public may also phone toll free at (800) 792-1112 and select the fishing option, then the red tide option.
Uploaded: 9/2/2000
Uploaded: 9/2/2000