RED TIDE: Red blooms you don't make into bouquets ... 
we'll explain on Passport to Texas ... 
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Earlier this year red tide cropped up along the coast near 
South Padre Island. Red tide, an oceanic algae, occurs 
naturally in the gulf; at times, though, certain circulation 
currents bring it near shore.

"Along the Texas coast we typically see red tide in the 
middle coast to the lower coast. When we've had very 
large red tides, we have seen them up the coast as far 
as Galveston Bay."

Dave Buzan, team leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife's 
Coastal Studies Team, says in years when red tide occurs 
it generally does so August through October.

"It is not unusual, though, for us to have a red tide that 
occurs during the winter. And, in fact, the red tide prior 
to this was in Corpus Christi Bay during the winter of 2001."

Once currents bring the algae near shore, certain factors 
may cause it to rapidly reproduce, or bloom.

"We believe that once red tide's near shore and in our bays 
that nutrients in the land feed the bloom and help it persist 
longer than it would otherwise if it were in the Gulf of Mexico."

Red tide kills fish and shellfish ... and when suspended in 
the air, red tide aerosol can cause respiratory irritation in 
humans.

"When the wind is low and the surf is low, people typically 
don't experience problems with the red tide aerosol."

Making times of low wind and waves the best time to be 
on the beach when red tide is present. 

That's our show ... made possible by the Sport Fish and 
Wildlife Restoration Program ... For Texas Parks and 
Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.