Does the Red Tide change the water color?
Yes. However, not every tide is red-colored. It depends on the kind of planktons and dyes included in the tide. It may be red, bluish-yellow, bluish green, green, and dark blown. There are kinds of no color.
Does the red tide affect the fish reared in the fish farms in the sea or on land?
Yes. It affects the fish reared in the farms of floating mesh boxes due to the exhaustion of dissolved oxygen in water. Thus, this causes asphyxia and death. As for the fish reared in basins on land provided with seawater, they are not affected thanks to sufficient quantities of Oxygen dissolved in water pumped by air pumps.
How does the Ministry seek to monitor the toxicity in the marine organisms?
The teamwork, technicians and specialists in the Marie Environment Research Center in Umm Al Quwain collect samples of the red tide and fish and the dead marine organisms along the country coasts, including Eastern Coast from Kalbaa to Dibba Al Hissin and the North Coast from RAK and Umm Al Quwain, Ajman, and Sharjah up to Dubai, which was affected by the phenomenon of ebb and tide. They monitor and know the kinds of phytoplanktons that cause the red tide, examine and analyze the toxicity in the plant planktons, fish viscera and dead marine organisms in the areas of red tide. The analyses showed the continuous bloom of (Cochlodinium polykrikoides).
The task force also conducted toxicity tests that showed that there are no toxic kinds among the plant planktons causing the red tide and there are no .toxic shells in the viscera or gills of the perished fish. Based on the previous findings and tests, the dyeing-off of fish in the red tide areas is likely to be caused by the serious lack of oxygen dissolved in water. Still, these kinds of plant planktons do not appear to produce toxic or harmful materials to the fish or marine organisms for the time being.
Are all marine organisms are vulnerable to toxicity due to red tide?
No. Only some marine organisms may be poisoned by the red tide.
Does cooking kill the toxicity in the flesh of shells?
No, because some toxicity are not affected by the high temperatures.
Are we safe to eat some fish from the areas near to the red tide?
Yes. In general, we can eat the meat (muscles) of fish, molluscs or crustacean without the head or viscera, taking into account not eat the fish that died-off of about to perish, or that are sick fished during the red tide.
From where can we get information about the red tide?
- Ministry of Environment and Water - Department of Marine Environment Research Center - Umm Al Quwain, Tel: 067655881
- MOEW website: www.moew.gov.ae
- Local Environment Bodies
- Municipalities
- Regional Organization on Marine Environment Protection www.ropme.org
What are the contact bodies when the red tide occurs or is noticed?
- Ministry of Environment and Water - Department of Marine Environment Research Center - Umm Al Quwain, Tel: 067655881
- Local Environment Bodies
- Municipalities
What are the areas in which fishing is permissible during the red tide?
In general, fishing is banned any where the red tide exists. In the red-tide-free areas, fishing is allowed.
Is it possible to swim in the red-tide-affected coasts?
According to the directives of the International Specialized Organizations on red tide, it is preferable, especially for the people with allergy, not to swim when the sea water is at the knee level and the feet is invisible in water.
Is to harmful to collect and eat the fish and marine organisms that are died-off or about to die-off during the red tide?
It is imperative not to eat the fish and marine organisms that are died-off or about to die-off during the red tide, nor to mix such marine organisms with the sound ones.
What are the useful measures and actions to be taken in case of having toxic shell?
When the person feels heavy tongue and lips, and symptoms start to appear on face and rest of the body, followed by headache and dizziness, he must immediately go to the nearest health center.