In addition to short-term impacts on water quality, Michael Dowgiallo of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (as cited in Goolsby et al., 1993) noted that the
chemical loads were boosting primary production, which resulted in elevated levels of marine
phytoplankton in the Gulf of Mexico. By consuming phytoplanktonic algae and providing a
forage base for higher predators, zooplankton are an influential part of aquatic food chains.
Increasing nutrient levels is likely to affect forage fish populations, which often feed on
zooplankton, and eventually increase the size and number of sport fish, but may cause
problematic responses like algal blooms.