A harmful algal bloom in the Yatsushiro Sea off the coast of Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, continues to spread. Caused by high concentrations of the alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, algal density in some areas has reached a peak not seen in recent years, and the nearshore waters have taken on a distinct reddish-brown color. Algal toxins can directly damage the gills of fish, while the rapid proliferation of algae depletes dissolved oxygen in the water, causing mass suffocation deaths among farmed fish within a short period of time.
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