For coastal dwellers who like to forage it is important to know your tides. A good low tide can reveal an array of goodies that are unobtainable most of the time. And a red tide can lead to illness so please be careful, be an informed forager!

Red tides are not necessarily red and are actually harmful algal blooms or HABs. They are unaffected by the tides and can last a few days or for weeks on end. During a red tide, it is important you do not consume shellfish that has been harvested in an area affected by a red tide. Before you go foraging check out http://marine.ie/habs where you can check the biotoxin report to see if there is a red tide in your area.

 

  • Red tide forming