Officials Find Red Tide Off the Coast
State officials say samples have tested positive for a toxic algae bloom known as red tide off the coast of Galveston. They say it’s responsible for thousands of dead fish that washed up on area beaches over the weekend.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists found the algae Karenia brevis, in concentrations high enough to kill fish in samples taken from Surfside beach and Galveston Island.
Last year red tide hit most of the Texas Gulf Coast and Galveston Bay, forcing a halt to the harvest of oyster beds.
Parks and Wildlife officials reported thousand of dead fish came overnight Sunday. They littered the beaches. Reports from the department website said dead fish were found from Quintana Beach in Brazoria County to the mouth of the Colorado River.
In Galveston crews worked overnight Sunday to remove the fish. They will need to clean the entire 32 miles of island beachfront, which could take until Wednesday.
