Algal blooms have been seen along the coast of Muscat, North and South Batinah and Musandam.
The Marine Sciences and Fisheries Centre (MSFC) in coordination with the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) has notified about the proliferation of algal blooms.
After ROPME picked up concentration of red tide phenomenon in late January through the satellite images, researchers at the Directorate General of Fisheries Research at MSFC collected samples for analysis.
“Tests confirmed that the phenomenon is caused by the most common dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans, which is generally harmless, but when it breeds in large numbers, it consumes dissolved oxygen in water. This can cause death of sea creatures from asphyxiation due to acute shortage of dissolved oxygen level in water,” stated MSFC.
N scintillans forms the so-called red tides (in this case green tides, due to the green pigments inside the cells) along the Omani coast, with most intensive algal blooms being reported during the winter, from January to March.
Although the concentration reaches millions of cells per litre, the species is not toxic. But the decay of the N scintillans bloom and subsequent oxidation of decaying organic matter could cause dissolved oxygen depletion, which sometimes results in fish-kill incidents. The research centre said that the odour is a result of decomposition of species and the phenomenon is a result of climatic changes associated with change in the temperature of sea water, ocean currents as well as monsoon activity.
“Algal blooms in the last few years have been common during this time of the year as this a transition stage between winter and summer, which is accompanied by changes in water characteristics such as sudden changes in temperature, movement of ocean currents and the rush of nutrients along the water surface,” an official at MSFC said.
Source: MuscatDaily