Large algae bloom spotted off Santa Monica Pier 

A large algae bloom was spotted around the Santa Monica Pier Tuesday, extending for miles down the coastline. 

Sky5 was above the “red tide” at 11 a.m. The bloom was seen “all the way down” in Marina del Rey, KTLA 5’s Rich Prickett said. 

Beachgoers were seen gathering on the pier and on the beach to get a closer look at the phenomenon. 

No beach closures were immediately announced. 

“Red tides” are a bloom of phytoplankton, according to the California Sea Grant, which is a partnership between the federal government, the State of California and universities across the state. 

The blooms occur when a particular species of phytoplankton begins reproducing rapidly, resulting in millions of cells in each gallon of water. While they occur across the world, in California, they are most commonly seen in the waters between Santa Barbara and San Diego, the California Sea Grant elaborated. 

Phytoplankton blooms can last for days or months and are generally not harmful, but can be; recent local examples include toxic blooms in Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County in May and in Lake Elsinore in June.

According to the California Department of Water Resources, signs of a harmful algae bloom include: 

• Small blue-green, green, white, or brown particles in the water 

• Streaks in the water that look like spilled paint 

• Mats, scum, or foam at the surface or along the shoreline 

• An odor described as gasoline, septic, or fishy