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Red Tide Invades U.S. Coastal Waters

TAMPA BAY (Worthy News)-- A 'red tide' bloom nearly 80 miles long and 50 miles wide in the Gulf of Mexico led to a large-scale fish kill, according to a report released by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Red Tide is a potentially dangerous algae that emits a toxin that paralyzes the central nervous system of fish so they cannot breathe.

Humans can become seriously ill from eating oysters and other shellfish contaminated with the red tide toxin.

"While red tides are not uncommon for this time of year", FWC Brandon Basino told Accuweather, "however, what's unique about this one is that it's the largest bloom associated with a fish kill since 2006."

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Thousands of fish killed by red tide off Florida coast - Florida Today
Florida wildlife officials say a large offshore fish kill in the northeast Gulf of Mexico is being caused by a red tide.

Red tide blooms detected off of Pinellas - Tampa Bay Channel 10
The large red tide bloom that researchers are tracking continues to move south and has now been detected off of Pinellas County, 13 miles west of Madeira Beach and 33 miles west of Caladesi Island.