RED TIDE OVERVIEW
Since the early 1800s, reports circulated of a phenomenon in coastal waters that discolored the water, caused fish and mammal deaths, poisoned shellfish and caused other human health problems. People described the condition as a “choking gas” because it caused severe respiratory irritation which lingered in the air for long periods of time. In the last 200 years, this phenomenon has been documented and called Red Tide.
WHAT CAUSE RED TIDES
Red Tides form when naturally occurring microalgae accumulate to lethal levels incoastal waters. These algae are composed of several species of marine phytoplankton, which are microscopic plant-likecells that produce potent chemical toxins. At various times of the year,these algae rapidly multiply, or bloom, in offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico and drift onto our beaches. This is when the effects are dramatic.
More than 40 species of toxic microalgae live in the Gulf of Mexico. The most common is the dinoflagellate
Karenia brevis, which is the Red Tide organism we find in Florida. It is transported by ocean currents and wind, which not only poses a serious threat to sea life, but also to shorebirds and terrestrial animals.
Red Tide forms in patches and often times dissipates just as fast as it accumulates, making predicting an event extremely difficult. Research on Red Tide has been ongoing for the past 50 years, making slow, but notable progress. Current research has shown that the problem will not simply go away and strategies to live with Red Tide are being developed by communities throughout the region. A key goal of scientists and citizens is to better understand the problem, so we can make informed decisions regarding the environment we depend on. 
