Rust tide returns to LI in less intense form

Rust tide is once again showing up in the waters surrounding Long Island, but not as intense as years past. Professor Christopher Gobler, of Stony Brook University, says the toxic tide is not harmful

News 12 Staff

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Sep 10, 2015, 12:47 AM

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Updated 3,390 days ago

Rust tide is once again showing up in the waters surrounding Long Island, but not as intense as years past.

Professor Christopher Gobler, of Stony Brook University, says the toxic tide is not harmful to humans, but can be deadly to fish and shellfish.

The rust tide usually appears in certain East End waterways in August. This year, Gobler says it has been limited in its distribution due mostly to a 60 percent drop in rainfall totals since April.

"Having this drought - there is less freshwater input, less nitrogen input, and therefore a less intense rust tide than we've seen in the past," Gobler told News 12.

Gobbler says since the bloom is late and mild, the die-off may not be as dramatic and could lead to a good scallop harvest in November.

According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the bay scallop season was extended by one month this year in an effort to give fishermen more time to catch their quota.