Harmful Algae in Mississippi Sound

A foreign marine microalgae has shut down the harvesting of oysters along the Coast of Mobile County. That includes the new oyster reef created last month.

Vernon Minton is the Director of Marine Resources Divisions. He says oystermen will likely have to wait until the fall.
"One of the concerns we had is that they've come from very dense populations which means their poor. And they're easily stressed. So first of all we got to monitor them to make sure they get back up to their normal weight. And secondly, we want to let them go through one spawn. More than likely, it's going to be October before the area is open.

Hundreds of oystermen moved millions of pounds of oysters south to a reef near Fowl River. The hope is to kick start an industry plagued by hurricanes, oyster predators, and drought.

"All the way around in the fisheries business, it's a pretty tough time to make a living."
Making a living may get that much harder, as scientists have discovered a potentially harmful type of algae in the water of Mississippi Sound. Now, harvestable bays surrounding South Mobile County are closed.

Jeff McCool with the Department of Public Health says the algae is not visible
"There was no discoloration in the water, which there is with red tide, and we didn't know we had this organism until the lab found this sample."

The biggest danger would be to anyone who eats an oyster that ingested the algae.
"Oysters ingest it, and it actually becomes toxic after the organism blooms, and it creates a gastrointestinal illness for anyone who eats the oysters.
Fortunately the algae levels are not extremely high according to Carol Dorsey, a microbiologist.
"We certainly hope for the best that this is a little pass-through by an organism, but we do need to be vigilant and testing will continue."