Potential for a 'moderate' New England 'red tide' in 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012 - 14:30
in Earth & Climate
New England is expected to experience a "moderate" regional "red tide" this spring and summer, report scientists working in the Gulf of Maine to study the toxic algae that causes the bloom. The algae in the water pose no direct threat to human beings, however the toxins they produce can accumulate in filter-feeding organisms such as mussels and clams -- which can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans who consume them.