GALVESTON, Texas — An estimated 8,000 volunteers have removed trash from 21 Texas beaches in a cleanup effort scaled back due to the algae bloom called red tide.

The 29th annual Texas adopt-a-beach fall cleanup happened Saturday morning from Beaumont to Corpus Christi.

Texas General Land Office spokeswoman Renee (ruh-NAY’) Tuggle says some beaches, southward to the Rio Grande Valley, were excluded due to red tide and safety concerns. Tuggle says the cleanup usually draws about 10,000 volunteers, but the numbers were lower this year due to nine fewer sites than usual.

Red tide involves a toxin that can cause shellfish poisoning in humans who consume it. Aerosols produced by red tide can cause breathing trouble.

Scattered fish kills have been reported since red tide surfaced in Texas this month.

For more information, go to: http://www.glo.texas.gov/adopt-a-beach/cleanups/locations.html