Abstract: The brown tides caused by Aureococcus anophagefferens firstly broke out in some coastal embayments of the northeastern United States in 1985.Subsequently, in 1997, A.anophagefferens blooms occurred in Saldanha Bay, South Africa.In 2009, the same bloom was reported in Qinhuangdao, China, making China the third country influenced by A.anophagefferens brown tide.Although A.anophagefferens have no direct, negative effects on human health, they can stunt or poison shellfish, resulting in significant economic losses and serious ecological damage.In this paper it is reviewed that the research advances in physiological and biochemical characteristics, the reasons of outbreak and demise, ecological consequences, and prevention measures of A.anophagefferens, which will provide scientific basis for preventing brown tides and maintaining marine ecosystem stability.