Red Tide

Red tide is everywhere.From Tampa Bay south to Ten Thousand Islands, local groups and state agencies that test for and track red tide are warning that the harmful algae bloom that kills fish and sickens dogs, and whose acrid air chases people off the beach, is here.And there. And there. And there.Red tide was detected at every beach in Sarasota County soon after Hurricane Ian made landfall near Fort Myers in late September. Earlier this month, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, in nearly 100 samples throughout Southwest Florida.Florida Department of Health officials in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties are issuing health alerts daily warning of the real and present danger to human and animals.The red tide is so prevalent, so pungent, and so potentially poisonous that the authors of the health advisories ignored the long-established practice of softening the language to avoid scaring away tourists.

By analyzing 9 years of data, Florida researchers recently proved that toxic algae blooms are exacerbated by nutrient-rich freshwater releases. The results confirm what scientists, activists, fisherman and others have observed anecdotally for years.

red tide video is not acrid nor does it cause fish kills or make animals, pets, people or humans sick due to Karena brevis

Tens of thousands of leaking septic systems are contributing to Southwest Florida’s water-quality woes, sending nutrient-rich fecal matter throughout the region’s shallow water table and porous soils to pollute groundwater, feed outbreaks of blue-green algae, and fuel more intense fish-killing red tides.

Water Quality Report Red Tide Blue-Green Algae Cyanobacteria EnterococcusReports from state environmental agencies, conservation group, and citizens said the major waterways in Southwest Florida were clear of red tide, blue-green algae, and other harmful algae blooms as the week began although there were some minor reports offshore and in the Caloosahatchee River.

This is the Water Quality Report that will be updated weekly to highlight harmful algae blooms such as red tide, blue-green algae, and other fresh water and saltwater blooms. Some are caused by stormwater runoff or leaky septic systems, and cause fish kills and acrid smells that can be harmful to humans and pets and deadly to wildlife. Nutrient pollution is a cause, whether from Lake Okeechobee, the Caloosahatchee River, or the Gulf of Mexico. Karenina brevis, hydrogen sulfide, enterococcus, bacteria, microalgae, and phosphate and nitrogen are often to blame when algae blooms occur commonly in places like the Alva boat ramp and Davis boat ramp, Matlacha Pass, and Charlotte Harbor. The Water Quality Report is created by WGCU Public Media, NPR & PBS for Southwest Florida and Tom Bayles, senior environmental reporter #EnviroManWGCU

Doing less for your lawn in the summertime can play a part in preserving Florida waters. June 1 through September 30, three areas of Southwest Florida are asking residents to give their fertilizer routines a summer vacation for the sake of water quality.

That humans contribute to making red tides stronger and last longer has been anecdotal. Now, researchers in Southwest Florida have explained that it's really true. Environmental researchers led by the University of Florida’s Center for Coastal Solutions documented the link after studying a decade of red tide data from the Caloosahatchee River, Charlotte Harbor, and the surrounding watersheds including the coasts of Charlotte and Lee counties. The findings are published in the June issue of Science of the Total Environment.

We are all connected by the environment we share. The Earth is our home. This is the space where we share the environmental stories that caught our attention this week in Florida and beyond.

We are all connected by the environment we share. The Earth is our home. This is the space where we share the environmental stories that caught our attention this week in Florida and beyond.