Chilean fishermen struggle amid toxic algal bloom

CHILOE ISLAND, Chile — This string of islands off Chile’s coast was once best known for its dramatic landscapes, rich wildlife, quaint stilt homes and colonial-era churches.

[...] today, it is getting attention for something far less picturesque — a toxic algal bloom that is threatening its marine life and the livelihoods of the fishermen who depend on it.

Simply referred to as the “quiet catastrophe” by local fishermen, Chile’s worst-ever red tide of toxic algae has prompted the government to declare an emergency zone along the southern coast that encompasses these islands known for some of the region’s best bird watching.

Algal blooms can be lethal to fish, birds and other marine animals, emitting a toxin that paralyzes the central nervous system.

Like many residents, she doesn’t believe scientists who say the environmental disaster was caused by warmer temperatures stemming from this year’s El Niño weather phenomenon.

[...] food and gasoline have been scarce after small-scale fishermen blocked the island from the mainland, lighting flaming barricades for days to demand more compensation from the government.