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NCCOS is predicting a low-to-moderate red tide for the Gulf of Maine

Map of study area showing abundance for top 1-cm sediment layer collected in February, 2026 (cells/cm2).

NCCOS is predicting a low-to-moderate red tide for the Gulf of Maine this spring and summer, continuing the pattern of smaller blooms observed in the region for over a decade. Scientists can estimate the size of red tides by counting the number of Alexandrium cysts in bottom sediments the preceding fall or winter. This year’s cyst abundance ranked 15 out of 23 years of sampling.