Officials say they are continuing to test water samples from New York Harbor to determine if a bloom of algae is harmful and can be considered a red tide outbreak.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday boats were gathering water samples and an airplane was surveilling an area near Staten Island.
Red tide refers to an outbreak of naturally occurring microscopic organisms that can discolor water and produce a toxin that can kill fish. It can also burn eyes and cause skin irritation in people.
DEP spokesman Lawrence Hajna says they are testing the type of algae to determine if the bloom is toxic.
A U.S. Coast Guard official who reported Monday that a nearly 10-mile-long ribbon of red tide had been spotted in the harbor did not respond to requests for comment.
