Large algae bloom forms off New Jersey

TRENTON, N.J. — A large bloom of algae is stretching across most of New Jersey’s 127-mile shore, and is not expected to move any time soon.

Satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show the bloom is nearly 50 miles wide in some locations and is particularly dense between Barnegat Inlet and Cape May.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and a team from the Rutgers University Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences are monitoring the bloom. The bloom is not uncommon in late summer, but the massive size of this particular bloom is unusual.

Causes of the bloom include warm water, increased storm water run, and calm waters.

The bloom presents little harm to humans, but could have a greater affect on the ecosystem, according to a report in the New Milford Patch. The lifecycle of the algae could stress fish and shellfish by reducing oxygen in the water.

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