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2d ago

Red Tide Confirmed Near Crystal Beach; About 10,500 Fish Found Dead

Health and wildlife officials warn airborne toxins can irritate lungs, urging people to avoid discolored water and leave areas where breathing is affected as monitoring continues.

Thousands of dead fish washed ashore on the Bolivar Peninsula this month as Texas officials confirmed a red tide bloom, with some beachgoers reporting coughing and other respiratory irritation. This Sept. 14, 2015 photo provided by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department shows gulf menhaden carcasses washed along the shoreline of Packery Channel in Corpus Christi.
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Visible red tide near the Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Center in Palacios, October 28, 2011

Overview

  • Texas Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed on Saturday that water samples near Crystal Beach showed a moderate concentration of the algae Karenia brevis and that officials documented about 10,500 dead fish washed ashore.
  • Beachgoers reported coughing and other respiratory irritation between Sept. 7 and Sept. 11, and officials say anyone who develops worsening or severe symptoms should seek medical care.
  • Authorities advise people to avoid swimming in discolored water, to stay away from dead or sick fish and shellfish on the shore, and to leave the area if they begin coughing or have trouble breathing.
  • The Texas Department of State Health Services says commercially harvested molluscan shellfish from monitored, approved areas remain safe to eat but that any fish or shellfish found dead or sick in affected waters should not be consumed.
  • Red tide blooms are a seasonal, naturally occurring event that are patchy and can shift quickly, so officials urge the public to check TPWD’s status page before visiting the coast and to report sightings to 512-389-4848.