Special to the PRESS
Officials have confirmed red tide conditions at County Beach Accesses 4, 5 and 6, just north of the city limits of South Padre Island. Fish kill and aerosal-related symptoms are present.
Red tide is a naturally-occurring, higher-than-normal concentration of the microscopic algae Karenia brevis (formerly Gymnodinium breve).
This organism produces a toxin that affects the central nervous system of fish so that they are paralyzed and cannot breathe. As a result, red tide blooms often result in dead fish washing up on Gulf beaches. When red tide algae reproduce in dense concentrations or “blooms,” they are visible as discolored patches of ocean water, often reddish in color.
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the Oct. 17 edition of the Port Isabel South Padre Press or check out our E-edition by clicking here.
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