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Red tide update, October 6, 2000
Texas Parks and Wildlife

This is the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department red tide update for October 6. Red tide continues to affect fish, anglers, and beach-goers in areas of the Texas coast today.

Beginning with the lower coast, visible patches of red tide and breathing difficulty have been reported during the week along the Padre Island National Seashore as far south as the 35-mile marker. Numerous dead striped mullet were noted by Department investigators yesterday between mile markers 15 and 20.

Along the middle Texas coast, dying fish and respiratory irritation were reported in Espiritu Santo Bay near Port O'Connor today. A fish kill is occurring at Matagorda, with dead and dying fish in the old Colorado river channel to the Intracoastal Waterway and around the jetties. Dead fish are found on the beach east to Mitchell's Cut and on the beach west of the mouth of the Colorado River, where a dead pilot whale was also seen.

Red tide lingers in the upper Texas coast, although it appears to have weakened. Visible red tide and respiratory irritation was observed in Christmas Bay and Cold Pass today.

Beachgoers have reported experiencing respiratory irritation on the Gulf beach in the Sargent and Matagorda areas this week. TPWD staff report experiencing respiratory irritation at the mouth of Cedar Bayou on San Jose Island yesterday.

Red tide cells counted by the Texas Department of Health this week show high concentrations of red tide at sites in Dickinson Bayou, the Port O'Connor jetties, the Port of Corpus Christi jetty, and the Cooper's Alley L-head boat ramp in Corpus Christi Bay. However, most of the sites sampled in the Galveston Bay system and Corpus Christi Bay area show relatively low concentrations of red tide cells or no red tide.

Three common signs of a red tide bloom are discolored water, dead fish, and breathing difficulty. To report sightings of red tide during regular business hours, call your local TPWD office or the Kills and Spills Team at (512) 912-7055. To report red tide over the weekend, page Dave Buzan at (800) 299-4099, personal identification number 2366. For more information about red tide and the latest updates, visit the TPWD web site at www.tpwd.state.tx.us and click on the red tide symbol, or call the TPWD hotline at (800) 792-1112, press "4" for fishing, then press "9" for red tide.