Red tides are not tide related at all and as it turns out the term is being phased out and replaced with the more accurate term algal bloom. Blooms of phytoplankton occur near the surface of the water giving the water in which the bloom occurred its red colour. From what I read the red colour is due to a red pigment contained in certain phytoplankton species.
Red tides can be toxic to many organisms including homo sapiens sapiens. This occurs because the toxins contained in the algal blooms can move into the food web and thus creating toxins found in all parts of the web. There are various syndromes associated with eating foods contaminated by harmful algal blooms and for more information go to this website.
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