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“Red Tide” off Lucy Island in early August

(Chatham Sound/ Skeena River)

But not the species that produces toxin

Noctiluca scintillans is suggested by UBC researcher Randall Lee and supported by Google search; plus Dr Max Taylor email (below)

photo courtesy of CCG Aerial Surveillance Program

Noctiluca –

A ‘plant’ (Dinoflagellate algae) that eats other algae rather than photosynthesize

(cell size of the Noctiluca is 200-800 microns (um); image courtesy R Lee)

Google Search

--- University level description w images

----Written for general public w images

---Living Cell image

Similar bloom phenomena seen off Australia. (Randall Lee, UBC

Sydney Australia bloom (photos courtesy of the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (or NSW EPA))

While the photo left is interesting it did not convince me until an image from North Sea (also from early August) was so similar that looks like best ID unless collected material can be found.

And BC expert Dr Max Taylor comments about the Lucy Isl images: “Those are unmistakably pictures of Noctiluca accumulating at small-scale fronts. Not harmful.”

Is it Toxic???? “Poison” shellfish?

Most the literature says either ammonia or reduced oxygen and not any “toxin” is only risk factor for observed fish kills. As this NSW EPA photo shows this stuff is so thick that when ‘settles’ either on beach or on ‘bottom’ it is like dumping a huge volume of organic matter which will cause reduced oxygen levels as decomposes underwater.

But a recent research article questions conventional wisdom and suggests symbiotic bacteria might be involved

Created by LG Monday, September 15, 2003

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But not the species that produces toxin

Is it Toxic???? “Poison” shellfish?