An algae bloom has begun near Russky Island in Primorye: it's not dangerous, but it can cause poisoning.
Professional diver Sergei Trubolis photographed orange-colored shores near Russky Island. He explained to NeMoskva that this is a bloom of the microalgae Noctiluca in the water. It can be not only orange, but also red and burgundy. While not dangerous in itself, in large quantities it can be toxic to shellfish and subsequently cause poisoning in humans.
"Mass blooms occur in late spring and early summer. They can be caused by water temperature, nutrient levels, and human impact. It's difficult to say why this happens on Russky Island; different scientists offer different explanations. Generally speaking, everything blooms in the spring, both on land and in the sea. I first saw such spots around Russky, Popov, and Rikord Islands back in the late 80s, then regularly observed them in the 90s, and also from a boat in the open sea, where there wasn't much human impact," Trubolis explained.
Currently, the Noctiluca bloom poses no threat to humans. However, if it intensifies, toxic compounds will accumulate in the mollusks that feed on it. This could lead to increased mortality, and then, further up the food chain, marine predators could be poisoned.
"If toxic seafood enters the human diet, it can lead to acute poisoning, which poses a serious health threat. Therefore, it is important to control algal bloom levels and minimize anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems to prevent potential environmental and health disasters," the researcher concludes.
There's probably an anthropogenic factor present now, but it's not the key one. There are no large enterprises on Russky Island. But this phenomenon needs to be monitored. In Vladivostok, scientists from the National Scientific Center of Marine Biology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences respond to such reports every year: count them. The number of algae per liter of water and its potential impact on the ecosystem. There have been no reports of this phenomenon posing a threat yet.
Photo: Sergey Trubolys.
