Dubai Beaches Closed by Red Tide

Beaches near Burj Al Arab and another one located close to the Umm Suqeim Park have been closed by the Dubai Municipality as traces of Red Tide in these two beaches have surfaced again. Both Abu Dhabi and Ajman have also seen the red tide wash up on their shores this week.

Red Tide in Ajman

Red tide is the result of an influx of a type of algal bloom which turns the water red.

“They have surfaced again and so we have decided to close the beaches to ensure the safety of beachgoers. People are advised not to venture into these two beaches. They should make no contact with the water, nor consume the dead fishes that are washed ashore. Care should also be taken not to inhale the air after a wave hits the shoreline. This can prove hazardous to health,”said Mohammad Abdul Rehman Hassan, the head of the marine environment and wildlife section

Hassan did not rule out the possibility of shutting down more beaches if the Red Tide continues to frequent the area.

“Red tide” is a common name for a phenomenon more correctly known as an algal bloom, an event in which estuarine, marine, or fresh water algae accumulate rapidly in the water column. These algae, more specifically phytoplankton, are single-celled protists, plant-like organisms that can form dense, visible patches near the water’s surface. Certain species of phytoplankton contain photosynthetic pigments that vary in colour from green to brown to red. When the algae are present in high concentrations, the water appears to be discoloured or murky, varying in colour from purple to almost pink, normally being red or green. Not all algal blooms are dense enough to cause water discolouration, and not all discoloured waters associated with algal blooms are red. Additionally, red tides are not typically associated with tidal movement of water, hence the preference among scientists to use the term algal bloom.

Many environmental groups critisced the building of the artificial Islands off Dubai’s coast, and although these algal blooms are thought to occur naturally, they are also attributed to human inteferences. Dubai has been facing pollution issues for some time on their beaches and this is just the latest in a long line of chickens coming home to roost.