Red Tide Algae Bloom in Pago Pago Harbor

On October 17, 2013 this photo was taken from the FIFA Soccer Field in Pago Pago of an Algal Bloom. The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources collected water samples from within the harbor and outside the Fagaloa area for further research.  Studies have shown that a large bloom of this species usually occurs with the combination of high levels of phosphate.  This plankton or tiny marine algae is usually brown red at the beginning when it blooms followed by a black brown color at the final stage.

            

      Microscope photograph of the Ceratium furca dinoflagellate samples in Pago Pago Harbor