South San Francisco, CA August 17, 2022 h/t to Joe F
Joe was questioning the change in the color of San Francisco Bay, noting it was a tea brown.
Oyster Point Marina, in South San Francisco, appears to be the latest victim to the regions ‘red tide’ algae bloom as identified by the California Department of Public Health and Baykeepers.
Heterosigma akashiwo, the microscopic marine organism that causes the change in color, has been confirmed in San Francisco Bay, and while some consider it a nuisance, caution must also be exercised. When this organism becomes concentrated it can be toxic to aquatic life, including fish, and may cause skin rash on humans.
The Baykeeper executive director Sejal Choksi-Chugh shared this warning, “Baykeeper cautions against people or pets contacting the brown murky water, or eating seafood caught in the area, until the algal bloom dissipates.”
Have you witnessed changes in the color of the San Francisco Bay? Are you comfortable fishing from Oyster Point Marina? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.
UPDATE: The County of San Mateo offers a regular update on water quality in our ocean, bay, and creeks yet does not have OPM listed
[…] photograph of Red Tide (brown water) was posted in “Everything South City” on August 17th. https://everythingsouthcity.com/2022/08/avoid-red-tide-aka-algae-blooms-in-san-francisco-bay-oyster-… […]
Today, on the Belmont Slough marshland at a lower tide, I observed two large dead fish.
This was from the Levy in Redwood Shores just north west of preserve Park .
Each was about a foot in length. It was being eaten by a seagull and the other by two turkey vultures.
Then, return to my home in Redwood Shores which sits on a canal first to receive the water from the Belmont slough into our a Redwood Shores Lagoon.
There in the canal was a dying fish upside down but with gills still moving.
I have lived here for 19 years. it is the first time I have noted dead fish from the levee – in the Belmont slough – or certainly in my canal in the boardwalk complex ofRedwood Shores.
Must also say that the color of the water in the canal in the boardwalk complex has turned a bit brownish red- More of a tea-like color. This is quite worrisome.
I’ve sent a video of the dying fish to Robin Kim in the department of public works in Redwood City. My knowledge, she has oversight responsibility for the Redwood Shores Lagoon.
I got excited for a second thinking there would be bioluminescence but it sounds like this is a bad red tide.
Red Tide is all threw out the bay. I’m in Oakland and it’s in Lake Merritt as well as the Alameda estuary and the various east bay marinas. This toxic outbreak has largely been written off here and they try to say it’s just a green or blue green bloom. All you got to do is look and smell it to know what’s up. Ive also seen large deceased striped bass afloat. How long will it last?
Was fishing at seal point park in San Mateo 8/22, water brown red. No bites, very unusual.
What are the causes of this?
What can we do to help?
Waters in Richardson Bay (north of GGB) are completely murky brown. We live in the Bridgeway Marina and it’s been solid brown for 3 days now. Is this not also red tide?
Chris,
Reports from Baykeeper show the Red Tide algae bloom has been identified in San Fran Bay, in many areas, so much probably yes in Richardson Bay. In 2020 reports show Richardson Bay was very heavily impacted by the algae bloom, yet it will resolve in time. – Thank you.
-ED
This could also be caused by WETA who has come in on past weekends using the high powered jet drive boat as a hydraulic dredge. BCDC has already issued them a warning and the hydraulic dredge intent is illegal is SF Bay.
Scott, Thank you for that info – I had checked on recent dredging and hadn’t found any info that had been done.
-ED