Red Tide

A marine scientist at Florida Gulf Coast University notes that the masks we've grown accustomed to wearing over the past year for COVID-19 may also filter out toxin-laden red tide droplets.

Along with toxic red tide blooms, a nontoxic cyanobacteria that blooms annually in the Gulf of Mexico has also been reported in the past week or so.

A Sarasota congressman has recently filed two new bills affecting Florida- one regards federal red tide monitoring and the other would expand a moratorium on oil drilling.

Fish kills were reported in Sarasota and Charlotte counties, and respiratory irritations were also recorded there, along with Manatee County.

The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, is persisting along Southwest Florida's coast. The toxic algae has made its way up to Manatee County from Collier County.

The red tide bloom comes within weeks of a major discharge of nutrient-rich water from the Piney Point phosphate plant into Tampa Bay.

Shellfish growers have long-term concerns about the wastewater pumping from the former Piney Point phosphate plant into the waters of Tampa Bay, including the potential for toxic algae and the reputation of the bay’s water quality.

In 2018 at the height of the red tide outbreak, WGCU reported on dead birds falling from the sky in Collier and Lee counties. Now, conservation agencies have concluded those Common and Sandwich Terns died from diseases related to red tide blooms.

The Red Tide Respiratory Forecast has received $653,960 to “get more microscopes in more hands on more beaches.” The funds will also help to expand detection of other toxic algae species.

Low levels of the naturally occurring toxin that creates red tide have been reported, mostly off the coast of Venice and South Venice in Sarasota County.

Officials in Sarasota and Holmes Beach have been voicing opposition to Ocean Era's proposed Almaco jack fish farm for months.

Activists are suing Gov. Ron DeSantis for signing a measure into law that prevents local governments from protecting the environment.The Clean Waterways…