. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. â¢â " nvasion of the Red Tide ctober 31, 1987, was D-Day in coastal North Carolina. atches of yellow-green organisms in- vaded the waters of North Carolina's coast. cientists at the state's three marine laboratories scurried to sample and magnify the organisms under their microscopes. They quickly identified the intruding organisms as "red ; ed tide in North Carolina? his isn't Florida, Texas or Long Island Sound where red tide is com- mon. Besides, there was nothing red about the
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. â¢â " nvasion of the Red Tide ctober 31, 1987, was D-Day in coastal North Carolina. atches of yellow-green organisms in- vaded the waters of North Carolina's coast. cientists at the state's three marine laboratories scurried to sample and magnify the organisms under their microscopes. They quickly identified the intruding organisms as "red ; ed tide in North Carolina? his isn't Florida, Texas or Long Island Sound where red tide is com- mon. Besides, there was nothing red about the yellowish slicks that clouded the waters. ut the prognosis proved right. The tiny organisms were a subtropical species of a red tide dinoflagellate called Ptychodiscus brevis. ore simply, they are single-celled plants. But they have a few animal characteristics such as the tiny hair- like flagella that permit them to swim. espite their name, all red tide dinoflagellates are not red. This par- ticular tide was yellow-green, although some patches were brick red. nd it left beachcombers coughing, fish suffocating and shellfishermen out of work. hat could be in organisms 20 microns (a micron is one thousandth of a millimeter) big that could do such damage? eurotoxins. This dinoflagellate con- tained neurotoxins that affected the nervous systems of other creatures, in- cluding man. ther types of red tide possess paralytic and diarrheic toxins that cause paralysis and diarrhea, respec- tively. Some red tides carry no toxins at all. long the surf, crashing waves crushed the red tide organisms and sent their toxins airborne. That's what caused surf and boat fishermen to cough and feel dizzy and nauseous. he toxins can paralyze the gills of fish, making it impossible for them to pass water over their gills. They soon suffocate. ut the toxins do not taint their flesh. It is safe to eat fish, crabs and shrimp taken from North Carolina's red tide waters. ysters, clams and scallops are a
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