TPWD Monitoring Red Tide Off Texas Coast

GALVESTON, TX — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has been monitoring the water off the coast of Galveston after reports of a red tide bloom that began last week.

Staff with the TPWD Kills and Spills Team, which investigates fish and wildlife kills resulting from pollution or natural events, have been taking water samples from Crystal Beach on Bolivar Peninsula south to the north jetty at Bolivar Roads. 

Additional areas being monitored include southern Galveston Island from the south jetty for about 12 miles, including in the vicinity of Steward Beach and Pleasure Island Pier.

Water samples indicate moderate to high concentrations of red tide cells, and beachgoers are reporting mild to severe respiratory irritation resulting from the bloom. 

As of Monday, Sept. 14, fish kills are primarily composed of Gulf menhaden and striped mullet, though other common species are being observed in smaller numbers. KAST is continuing to monitor the extent and composition of this event.

Questions related to human health or human consumption of fish and shellfish should be directed to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Additional information regarding seafood health can be found at the Texas Department of State Health Services webpage: Harmful Algal Blooms-Seafood and Aquatic Life | Texas DSHS.

Red tide is a naturally occurring, higher-than-normal concentration of the microscopic algae Kerenia brevis. This algae produces a toxin (known as brevetoxin) which affects the central nervous system of fish by paralyzing them and affecting their breathing. 

As a result, red tide blooms often result in dead fish washing up on Gulf beaches. When the red tide algae reproduce in dense concentrations or “blooms,” they are visible as discolored patches of ocean water, often reddish in color.

Additional facts and commonly asked questions about red tide can be found on TPWDs Red Tide FAQs webpage: Red Tide FAQ.