Just released by the Irish Marine Institute – http://www.marine.ie/home/aboutus/newsroom/pressreleases/ExceptionalAlgalBloomdetectedinNorthWest.htm
Exceptional Algal Bloom detected in North West
Seawater samples submitted to Marine Institute in the past few weeks have shown the presence of a species of Phytoplankton that can harm marine animals, and some mortality have been reported among oysters, cockles and lugworms from the Mayo to Donegal coastal regions.

Analysis carried out at the Marine Institute phytoplankton lab has indicated that there is an ongoing bloom in the area of Karenia mikimotoi which is a phytoplankton of the dinoflagellate group that produces dense blooms and often results in similar mortality of marine organisms. The bloom is most likely to originate offshore and several previous occurrences of this species have been recorded in Ireland over the years, most significantly the bloom in 2005 which extended all along the west coast. That bloom lasted through the months of June and July and resulted in extensive mortalities of wild intertidal and sub-tidal invertebrates and fish. There were also reports of losses of farmed shellfish in west coast at that time.

“The species of phytoplankton that is causing this unusual mortality is quite common in the summer months around the coast of Ireland. The species can cause mortalities in shellfish and finfish because it contains a toxic irritant that results in damage to the gills of shellfish, fish and invertebrates. This, coupled with reduced oxygen levels during the decaying bloom can result in extensive mortalities over large areas of the coastline, as we reported during the 2005 event,” explained to Mr. Joe Silke of the Marine Institute Phytoplankton and Biotoxin Unit.

The current bloom has shown moderate levels between half a million cells to 1.5 million cells per litre in the Donegal bay area. A second bloom is also evident from satellite images in the Belmullet to Clew Bay area where reports of dead shellfish and lugworms have been reported by the public. Lower levels have been observed along the Galway and North Clare coast and also in Kenmare, Bantry and Dunmanus Bays.

“These blooms are part of the natural cycle of phytoplankton in the sea, and originate offshore. As they are pushed to the coast by oceanic and tidal currents they accumulate to dense levels that can even discolour the seawater in what are often called ‘Red Tide’ events. Just as certain land plants contain toxins and irritants, so do marine algae and the accumulation of these coastal blooms are not associated with pollution or any man induced activity,” said Mr Silke.

The duration of the current bloom is difficult to predict, it may subside quickly to be replaced by the more typical mixed summer algal community, or it may continue over the next month or so as was the case in 2005. The Marine Institute are continuing to monitor samples from the region and all results are on the website immediately after analysis on www.marine.ie/habs .

ENDS

The mystery has been solved – a massive phytoplankton bloom. (Red tide) These blooms simply exhaust all the oxygen from the water making fish lethargic. It happened once before here about 8 years ago, but not as severe as this one. Was offshore 20 miles today – water was same colour as in a lake after heavy rain – pure brown.

Also received an e-mail from an angler fishing locally: –

I saw your depressing website update.
Same problem in Sheephaven….3 days without a mackeral and certainly nothing more glamorous.
It appears to be an Algae Bloom (Red Tide) uncommon but not unheard of here.
Prolonged calm weather and early May/June sun ideal conditions to start it off.
Dead heart sea urchins, lug worm and shore crab a sure sign.
A lot of dead lug worm in the estuary at Ards as well as cockles.
Hundreds of dead heart sea urchins all around sheephaven beaches.Shore crabs and small flat fish obviously distressed in rock pools at Marblehill.

I am told it will pass sooner rather than later but can’t find out when the fish will return.
It is a pity as fishing started so well.
Just returned from Horn Head and surrounds …still no mackerel bur definite signs of clearer water both to look at and on the depth sounder…fingers crossed for improvement.

Despite a few nice photos of fish caught, the fishing is now as bad as it has been in 12 years. Mackeral extremely patchy. Limeburnber atrocious. Sand – practically nothing. Wrecks – hardly any Pollack. A few Tope and Spurdogs, but not as many as should be. My theory is that the calm and easterly winds have meant that there has not been a normal swell off this coast for around 3 months now. But who knows?

Nice Tope

NIce Tope

Spurdog

Wreck Ling

Nice Megrim

It appears that almost all the fish off north Donegal have vanished. Mackeral which were so plentiful early this season are extremely hard to find – catching them in ones & barely that. The Rosguill spent 3 hours searching the inshore reefs a couple days ago – unbelievably 1 single Pollack on board. The only exception is Tope which seem to have moved in numbers onto the Limeburner grounds – at least 1 month earlier than normal. Cannot understand why the fishing has gotten so bad – perhaps that we have been having either light or easterly winds for quite some time. Flummoxed!!!

2 specimen Spurdogs, 1 specimen Torsk and lots of Tope, Conger & generally very good fishing for a group of happy anglers from the Netherlands.
Doesn’t get better than this!!!

Spurdog

Tope

Spurdog

Little Goldsinny Wrasse

One of the many Tope

Laurentic fishing well for Conger

Turbot

Tope

Specimen Torsk

Conger from the Laurentic

Nice Cod

Ballan Wrasse from Tory Island

Sand fishing ok – Turbot, Dabs, Thornbacks and, of course, Doggies

Thornback Ray

Double - Thornback & Turbot

Plaice

This happens fairly regularly during the season – angler winding up a fish only to be hit by something big and up comes the head. Unusual because of the time of year.

Half a Ling!

The usual suspects for May at the Limeburner. Reasonable numbers of Whiting, Haddock, Cod, Red,Tub & Grey Gurnards, Ling, Doggies, Mackeral. All in all, a nice start to the season.

Nice Cod

Haddock - a few around

Still reasonable fishing – if the weather would allow the Rosguill go wherever.

Fishing September good – Blue Sharks gone? – spoke too soon – caught 2 Blue Sharks very next day – 13 degrees water temperature.

But most other species OK.

Nice female 173 pound Common Skate – first this year on board.

Nice day at Turbot and Brill. Sand fishing Ok. Also Limeburner for the “usual suspects”. Blue Sharks are fairly poor – a few around but not big numbers. Few Tope at Limeburner. Mackeral fairly good numbers. Water temperature 2011 barely managed to reach 15 centigrade – probably main reason for low numbers of Blue Sharks. No Porbeagles around.

A close up photograph of a tooth from a Blue Shark – makes a “kitchen devil” look positively harmless!!!

Some nice Blue Sharks. The 90 pound male took the bait and after a very strong run was struck by the angler…………the line went slack and the angler wound in…….the Blue was running towards the boat unknown to the angler who thought that it was truly gone………………..just as the swivel came out of the water the Shark breached the surface, turned and ran again……..never saw a Shark before which ran almost the whole way back to the boat……amazing!

Rosguill boated 2 Blue Sharks – 55 pound & 35 pound. First of the year & although the second day fishing for Blues, reports from other skippers are indicating that Blues this year are not good

Lots of Mackeral – at last.
Porbeagles have been inconsistent to say the least – occasional catches by some boats – one private boat had 12 in 2 days a couple weeks ago. The Rosguill still has to land a Porgie for 2011.
Reasonable numbers of Cod around this year, including some nice 2 – 4 pounders. Haddock have also made a long awaited comeback, with an almost guarantee of catching one or two on the Limeburner grounds per day.
Wrecks are as normal, including the odd resident Porgie.
Tope numbers good, although a distance away. They should now be on the Limeburner grounds but not in great numbers.

Rosguill lost a Porgie yesterday on the Roscommon – took a 10/12 pound Ling – was never going top be boated but would have been nice to see it.

A private boat lost a huge Porgie (according to the anglers) today – had it to the side of the boat and estimated several hundred pounds.

The same private boat landed a 40 pound Blue Shark to day and there was a sixty pound Blue Shark landed yesterday by another private boat.

THEY’RE BACK!!!

The most remarkable thing this year so far is that Mackeral remain very “patchy”. By mid-July they should be everywhere and anywhere. Some days it is a struggle to get the morning’s quota.

Caught a Scad today! Tope fishing is very good. Also Turbot and Brill are good – so far. Limeburner & wrecks fishing well.
No sign yet of Blue Sharks – water is 14 degrees right now so hopefully by mid-August we should see a few around. Porbeagles have not appeared as this past 2 years. Unsure why, but there have been reports of a few 200 pounders being caught – I have not seen one this year despite trying on quite a number of occasions for them. Conger good. A lot more Haddock around the Limeburner than this past 4 or 5 years – hope that continues. And some Cod – twice have caught 2 or 3 Cod on a wreck on a single visit.

Weather has greatly improved this past few weeks and perhaps has something to do with some really nice fishing days.