Alge bloom

When does it usually arrive?
I didn't hear much mention of it last year,probably with the pandemic?
Sub aqua divers went down mid july a few years ago to retrieve my mates anchor near the prestatyn boat club,and they couldn't see 3ft in front of them for the alge.
Same day I caught a 4lb bass from the boat,so the Bass must have homed in on the bait somehow (Black lug)
Sounds like the Mackerel down south are bigger than normal,I wonder if they will be in N wales when they come in.

I'm sure it depends on weather conditions but in 2020 toxic algae was reported in Rhyl in June.

I always notice a decline in water quality when the tourists arrive at Easter but that is nothing necessarily to do with algae.

Have you see the current explanations being given as the cause of crab and lobster deaths off the North East of England?

Notbad wrote:

I'm sure it depends on weather conditions but in 2020 toxic algae was reported in Rhyl in June.

I always notice a decline in water quality when the tourists arrive at Easter but that is nothing necessarily to do with algae.

Have you see the current explanations being given as the cause of crab and lobster deaths off the North East of England?

I saw it briefly the other day.Now you have mentioned it I'll have a better look.
I wouldn't be surprised if the currents weren't stirring up the coal dust they have been dumping in there for years.

An interesting theory, not unrelated to the initial suspicipn that it was to do with estuary dredging of mud contaminated with industrial pollution.

However there is now a different explanation on offer and related to your question.



https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/19904524.defra-uncovers-cause-crab-lobster-deaths-north-east/


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-60438811

We have had similar mass events on our side of the coast in the past

Starfish at Talacre three years ago. Around algae bloom time so perhaps not just down to the storm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-48097770

When you consider that the dredgings from the Mersey have been dumped in the Dee estuary for years,there could be a connection to the alge bloom.
I've fished the Dee estuary a few times,and what I first thought was seaweed on the line knots,turned out to be strands of fibre,that had to be cut off rather than pulled off.
I came to the conclusion that the strands were from nappies and sanitary towels etc.
They could of course be coming down the Dee,but more than likely from the Mersey dredgings.
With the super container ships using the Mersey these days,the dredging seems to be a continuous exercise.
On another note,there has been Salmon caught in the Mersey as far up as Warrington.
Seems like the connecton to Alge bloom is always near estuaries.
The pollutants from farm fertilizers etc.and treated sewage are all going into the rivers,maybe there is a connection?