Whats the difference between a red tide and a harmful algal bloom?
The rapid proliferation of toxic or nuisance algae is called a harmful algal bloom (HAB). HABs may discolor the water when algae concentrations are very high. For this reason, HABs are sometimes referred to as “red tide”; however, this term is actually a misnomer because there are many types of HABs that do not color the water red. In the Gulf of Mexico, the microscopic algae Karenia brevis is frequently responsible for HABs, and it is often referred to as the red tide organism.
