Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Last year’s record breaking heat and drought contributed to one of the longest outbreaks of Red Tide in Texas history. Texas parks and Wildlife biologist, Meredith Byrd, says a species of algae named Karinia brevis causes the condition.

06—And when these algae reproduce very, very quickly, they turn the water red or reddish brown and so that’s what we here on the Texas coast know as a red tide.

Red tide can be irritating to the skin and lungs but is not a serious threat to most people—but certain aquatic life, isn’t as lucky.

15—Red tide does cause toxins that kill fish and are collected in the oyster tissue so unfortunately the commercial oyster season that would have began Nov. 1st has been suspended indefinitely.

Texas parks and Wildlife Water Resources Branch Chief Cindy Loeffler says, because oysters are filter feeders that can filter up to 50 gallons of water daily, they will eventually rid themselves of toxins… just not in time to save this season’s $30-million dollar Texas oyster industry.

16— What has to happen is for the toxin level in the oyster meat to drop below a certain threshold level but unfortunately the drought, predicted to persist at least through early spring, mid-spring so that would typically be about the length of our commercial oyster season.

That’s our show. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series, and is funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 9th, 2012 at 12:00 am and is filed under Saltwater. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.