[Huan]

Funny I was discussing the topic of Nitrates and the effect on seaweed growth with a friend last year, Mainly because Ireland gets a little more rain than SoCal in any given year.
As you may or may not know there is an EU directive called the nitrates directive which has been coming into force for some time now , basically the directive is to try and reduce the level of nitrates that enter the environment through runoff.
These affect mostly streams and so forth and usually end up choking the streams in a lush green growth of weed.
I came to the conclusion that even in areas with relatively high freshwater runoff the growth of marine seaweeds isn't that much higher than areas with little or no freshwater runoff.
As to whether it causes red tides I have no idea.
sure sounds like a bummer though!!