Not even an influx of fresh seawater from this week's huge high tides has been able to flush out the toxic red tide that's invaded San Martin Lake, killing thousands of fish and turning this popular fishing spot into a dead sea littered with stinking, drying corpses along its muddy shores."No hay nada," said fisherman Baltazar Duran as he scanned the water under the bridge for the thrashing of snook feeding on traveling schools of lisas (mullet) and shiners. "I've been coming here for two weeks and checking it out but nada. Just the stink." Floating belly up with the outgoing tide were big snook, flounder, drum, and a trout here and there.
The red tide first showed up about three weeks ago when small perch and catfish begin coming to the surface swimming sideways. Since that time, top and bottom-feeding fish have virtually disappeared, escaping the red tide's toxin, presumably to deeper, fresher water in the Brownsville Ship Channel.
In Texas, red tides are caused by high concentrations of a microscopic alga (a plant-like microorganism) called Karenia brevis or K. brevis. These high concentrations (called blooms)may cause the water to appear red, light or dark green, or brown.
• Karenia brevis produces a toxin, called brevetoxin, which can affect the central nervous system of fish, birds, mammals and other animals. The most visible result of red tide is dead fish on
the beach or floating in the water.
• Karenia brevis is a naturally-occurring organism that is likely always pre
sent at low concentrations in the Gulf of Mexico and is believed to have been around for centuries. Scientists are investigating the factors that cause this species to bloom.
• Red tide blooms most often begin in late summer or early fall and can last days, weeks or months. Bloom locations can change daily due to wind conditions.
• Pets can be affected by red tide, so pet owners are advised to keep them away from beaches during a bloom. Inhaling the brevetoxin can cause respiratory difficulties and discomfort for
your pet. Dead fish containing the toxin can remain on beaches for weeks or months following a bloom; allowing your pet to consume the dead fish can cause severe illness and sometimes death.
the beach or floating in the water.
• Karenia brevis is a naturally-occurring organism that is likely always pre
sent at low concentrations in the Gulf of Mexico and is believed to have been around for centuries. Scientists are investigating the factors that cause this species to bloom.• Red tide blooms most often begin in late summer or early fall and can last days, weeks or months. Bloom locations can change daily due to wind conditions.
• Pets can be affected by red tide, so pet owners are advised to keep them away from beaches during a bloom. Inhaling the brevetoxin can cause respiratory difficulties and discomfort for
your pet. Dead fish containing the toxin can remain on beaches for weeks or months following a bloom; allowing your pet to consume the dead fish can cause severe illness and sometimes death.
4 comments:
I am surprised that you don't blame the red tide on Juliet Garcia. You blame her for everything else.
Bloggers in bloggers paradise. Nowhere on earth will you find a town as large as Brownsville, that has shit loads of pretty new busses running around everywhere, with no schedule.
I finally figured it out. Why print out schedules, when you know your not going to be on time anyway. Don't even put it on the internet. Like most of Brownsville's maids have access to the internet. hahaha
If you don't put out a printed schedule, then who can bitch about your bus being late. This is the ultimate compadre enterprize. Don't publish any rules, or goals, then just don't bother to do shit.
BUS. Apathey in motion. The only busline with no schedules to keep. Ahhh haa. They are never late.
3 billion for texas highway contractors, but nothing for school teachers. I hope we never build another highway in texas.
what a fuckin embarassment.
http://www.riograndeguardian.com/rggnews_story.asp?story_no=24
fyi
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/star-131861-valley-harlingen.html
Post a Comment