Algae bloom colours Porpoise Bay

The water in and around Porpoise Bay may be reddish, but it’s not red tide.

Red tide, or the bacteria that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning, does not typically change the colour of the water.

What’s happening in Porpoise Bay is a bloom of reddish algae.  Such algae blooms are not unusual in Sechelt Inlet, but they aren’t as common at this time of year.

In a statement posted to its Facebook page, the District of Sechelt said the bloom is not connected to pollution and there have been no issues with the sewage system.

A failure at a lift station in late January led to the release of 10 cubic metres of effluent into the inlet, and a shellfish harvesting closure.

The type of algae involved in the recent bloom does not typically require a shellfish closure, however, it could harm fish by clogging their gills.    

The most recent information on areas closed to shellfish harvesting can be found here.