AP PHOTOS: Chilean fishermen struggle amid toxic algal bloom

CHILOE ISLAND, Chile (AP) — This string of islands off Chile's coast was once best known for its dramatic landscapes, rich wildlife, quaint stilt homes and colonial-era churches.

Simply referred to as the "quiet catastrophe" by local fishermen, Chile's worst-ever red tide of toxic algae has prompted the government to declare an emergency zone along the southern coast that encompasses these islands known for some of the region's best bird watching.

Algal blooms can be lethal to fish, birds and other marine animals, emitting a toxin that paralyzes the central nervous system.

Millaquien says she's worried about the residents of Chiloe and how food scarcity is creating tensions among her otherwise tight-knit community.

[...] food and gasoline have been scarce after small-scale fishermen blocked the island from the mainland, lighting flaming barricades for days to demand more compensation from the government.