Exodus; Movement of the Fishies.

The Sun Herald has reported on a fascinating event. The southern migration of thousands, possibly millions, of aquatic animals out of the Gulf of Mexico by Florida southern tip.

Clouds of shrimp, crab, grouper, snapper, red fish and flounder were joined by more usual species, including sea robins, needlefish and eels. The fish were seen moving in a narrow band in about 18 inches of water, headed south. The moving mass of sea life appeared to stretch a mile long.

Some fish washed ashore on the Gulf's small waves, he said. The stranded fish flipped and struggled until they flopped back into the water to rejoin the piscatorial parade south.

Ten-year Manasota Key resident Nick Neidlinger was before 9 a.m. and saw this puzzling phenomena.

"There were blue crabs the size of a dinner plate," Neidlinger said. "You name the species of fish and they were there."

Neidlinger saw pelicans bombarded the fish, but he saw no sharks or other predators, nor did he detect any signs of red tide. He said all the species "were swimming amongst each other. They weren't attacking each other."

Neidlinger added, "I have never seen anything like that in my life. This was not a fish kill."

Dr. Richard Pierce, director of ectotoxicology at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, said he had discussed the occurrence with Dr. Cindy Heil, the director of biotoxin research at the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in St. Petersburg, after a reporter's phone call Thursday.

"We agree this could be that they were trying to get away from red tide, maybe offshore or in the deeper parts offshore," Pierce said. Supporting that theory is the reported movement of many bottom feeders. "Sea robins, flounder, grouper are indications that something is moving along the bottom," Pierce said.

"Unfortunately, this might be a phenomenon of red tide creeping in, but we'll have to wait until we get some samples," he said.

Red tide are a natural phenomenon caused by dense aggregations of single cell or several species of unicellular organisms. Patches of discolored water, dead or dying fish, and respiratory irritants in the air often characterize these algal blooms. It has a negative impact on humans as well as aquatic life. It is also held responsible for the destruction of coral reef. Many scientists believe it's on the rise because of global warming.