Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency over seven counties Monday after an explosive growth of toxic algae killed thousands of marine animals and poisoned the air on Florida’s beaches.
The algae bloom, also known as a “red tide” after the color of the water, began in October and has lasted twice as long as is customary. The bloom grew toxic within the past two months and began producing chemicals that killed thousands of fish, turtles, birds, whales and other forms of sea life. Many of the dead carcasses washed up on Florida’s coastline or clogged inlets.
Scott promised $1.6 million more in emergency funding to aid cleanup operations and support rebuilding tourism in the hardest hit communities.
“There’s no fish left. Red tide killed them all,” Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation research scientist Rick Bartleson told The Washington Post. “All of our concentrations of red tide are still high and would still kill fish if they were out there.”
Algae blooms are common events and have occurred off the coast of every coastal state in the U.S. A red tide occurs in Florida at least once a year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Blooms are created by colonies of simple plants that start growing and spreading out of control. Most algae are not harmful and the blooms add food and energy back into the marine ecosystem, according to NOAA.
A small number of algae species produce toxins that are lethal to animals and dangerous to humans as the toxins escape the ocean and drift in the air on beaches. The toxins cause respiratory and eye irritation to people who are caught in high concentrations of it. A 2006 study found that hospital visits for respiratory issues spike around 50 percent during red tides.
The ongoing crisis has turned into a campaign issue as Scott leaves his position as governor and challenges Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson for Nelson’s Senate seat. Each is blaming the other for not doing enough to mitigate the algae crisis, The Washington Post reports. (RELATED: Florida Gov. Rick Scott Announces Bid For US Senate)
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