Members of the public sent Mossel Bay Advertiser photographs of redness in the sea off Dana Bay.

The newspaper enquired to Mossel Bay Municipality, which has an environmental department, to find out if this is red tide and the municipality confirmed it is indeed red tide.

Do not eat shellfish directly from the sea

The municipality responded: “Residents are requested not to eat shellfish from the sea as red tide has been seen off Dana Bay, Mossel Bay, among other parts of the coast.

“Mossel Bay Municipality’s environmental officer confirmed the reports of red tides along the coastline. Reports have been received over the past few days of this algae bloom, particularly visible between first and second beaches, Dana Bay.”

Algae

The municipality noted that red tides are a natural phenomenon in coastal waters caused by a dense accumulation of microscopic algae. The appearance of red tide is expected to last for several days.

A member of the public noted on a social Facebook page in Mossel Bay that the redness in the sea could be seen from Dana Bay to Vleesbaai.