Blue Tide Along Indian Beaches

Though uncommon, recently beaches in Maharashtra and Karnataka have witnessed a fluorescent bluish glow when the waves hit the shoreline.

Bioluminescence or light-emitting tides were witnessed on Juhu beach in Mumbai and Devgad, Velas and Murud along the state’s coastline. It was also witnessed along Dakshina Kannada-Udupi coast.

The Phenomenon behind Blue Tide

‘Blue tides’ appear when marine life Noctilucascintillans, commonly known as the sea sparkle, marine-dwelling species of dinoflagellate that exhibits bioluminescence is disturbed.
Its bioluminescence is produced throughout the cytoplasm of this single-celled protist, by a luciferin-luciferase reaction in thousands of spherically shaped organelles, called scintillons.

What is Bioluminescence?

Bioluminescence is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light.
Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria show bioluminescence.
For a reaction to occur, a species must contain luciferin, a molecule that, when it reacts with oxygen, produces light.
Many organisms also produce the catalyst luciferase, which helps to speed up the reaction.
Bioluminescence property helps organisms to protect themselves from predators as well as gather together and to make colonies.

What are Red Tides?

A red tide is a dangerous overgrowth of microscopic marine plants known as algae. The overgrowth can turn coastal waters bright red and release toxins that harm marine life, birds and humans.
Though “red tide” is the common term for the phenomenon, many scientists prefer “harmful algal bloom,” or HAB. Not all HABs cause water to turn red, however.