Florida's Toxic Red Tide

“I’ve been here all my life and I’ve never seen anything like this.” Florida red tide bloom now stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to Fort Lauderdale

The Big Wobble,

7 October, 2018

From the end of September.

It is astonishing, jaw-dropping! THOUSANDS OF TONS (MILLIONS MAYBE BILLIONS) of Marine species dead along the entire Florida west coast since May

It is astonishing, jaw-dropping even, it should be world news or at least national news but the fact is since May this year the entire west coast of Florida, from Navarre Beach in the north all the way down to Collier County in the south has witnessed the death of millions, maybe billions of marine species from birds to fish, manatees, dolphins and turtles due to a red tide algae bloom and it only made local news.

Below is a list of die-offs, (with links attached) along the entire west coast of Florida since May, the list is frightening.

It started off slowly...And then exploded.

Below is not a true figure as many more species will have died out at sea.

On May 4th A Navarre woman spotted nearly 100 dead birds within a one-mile radius on Navarre Beach Full story

On the 3rd of June, The Tampa Bay Times reported Freshwater turtles began turning up dead along the St. Johns River in January. Now about 100 dead or dying turtles have been found in water bodies in Orange, Seminole and Putnam counties. A few reports have come in from other locations, such as Trout Lake near Eustis in Lake County. Full story

On the 27th of June, a Florida beach was littered with 'hundreds' of dead fish, manatees and other marine life. Hundreds of dead fish, manatees, sea turtles, eels and other types of marine life were found washed ashore on Boca Grande beach. Full story

On the 1st of July, Fox4 reported, Red Tide caused large fish kills in Englewood. Manatees, turtles, and snook were popping up everywhere. The most recent Red Tide event to hit Southwest Florida has been devastating for the beaches and the people who make their living off of them. Full story

On July the 31st, Miami Herald reported dead fish, birds, manatees, even a whale shark washed up dead at Cape Coral as the toll from worst red tide in decades grows. Dead fish by the thousands have clogged inlets and canals. 10 dead Goliath grouper, the massive reef fish that can live four decades or more, have floated to the surface. At least 90 sea turtles have been found stranded as the tide stretches well into nesting season. Full story

On August the 1st News-Press announced Lee County had opened fish disposal sites as the Florida algae crisis continued. Dead sea turtle count at 400. A local fisherman claimed: "There’s lots of dead everything here," Wasno said. "I’m watching a sea trout die right at my feet. There’s mullet, snook, pinfish, sea snakes, small grouper, and there’s a lot of it." Full story

On August the 6th Fox13 announced tons of dead fish shovelled from beaches along Sarasota County. Dead fish are now washing ashore on Anna Maria Island after the red tide bloom drifted slightly north over the weekend. Meanwhile, crews in Sarasota County say they removed several tons of dead fish over the last two days alone. Full story

16th August - 3 MILLION lbs of dead fish washed up on beaches in Lee County, Florida: The latest numbers from Lee County officials on Thursday reveal that well over 3 million pounds of fish have been removed from local coastlines. The county reports that contractors removing fish from Lee County beaches have amassed more than 1,400 tons of fish, and that crews in Sanibel have collected an additional 309 tons. Among the dead fish found include one dead Whale Shark on Sanibel, and numerous large goliath grouper and tarpon. Full story

22nd August - 15 dead bottlenose dolphins wash up dead in Sarasota:  “I have never come across something like this ever,” Master Police Officer, Paul Joyce, with the Venice Police Marine Patrol Unit said. Full story

23rd August - Thousands of dead fish wash up again in Sarasota. A witnessed claimed she’s seen everything from pinfish to puffer fish to catfish float up in the marina. Red tide isn’t just stinking up Sarasota — over the last day or so most of Bradenton has been smelling like a pile of dead fish. The algae bloom sets off a distinguishable stench, one that readers told the Bradenton Herald they could smell from downtown. Full story

27th August-240 TONS of dead fish wash up, due to red tide in Manatee County, as of Monday, the county had already collected about 241 tons of red tide-related debris left on Manatee County beaches, parks and waterways, cleaning up the majority of fish kills, officials announced during a news conference. Full story

10th September - 33 TONS of dead fish wash up, due to red tide in Pinellas: Red tide is officially impacting Pinellas County. Crews have picked up a total of 33.48 tons of dead fish and hauled them off to the county dump. Tests conducted Monday show the highest levels of the toxic algae bloom near John's Pass and Madeira Beach. Low levels were also found near the Bellair Boat Ramp and Sand Key near Clearwater Pass.

17th September - Thousands of dead fish wash up due to red tide on Panama City:

 
Beachgoers in Panama City Beach were greeted by a grisly sight this weekend: Thousands of dead fish spanning the coastline. The killer? Red tide. Full story

Earth has crossed its own tipping point and is creaking under the strain: Two-thirds of animals extinct by 2020! 

Florida Declared ‘State Of Emergency’ After Toxic Red Tide: Still Spreading, Lifeguards are Getting Sick

 

ANC News,

7 October, 2018

Remember a couple months ago when a state of emergency was declared in Florida, as the “red tide” started causing people respiratory problems? It brought a lot of people to the question, is this really nothing but a red tide, and what else is influencing this?]

It’s still going on, and its still spreading. According to a recent article from the NY Post: “Florida officials are warning residents that toxic red tide algae could be making its way toward several of the state’s beaches. Hundreds of fish were found washed ashore at Fort Lauderdale Beach in Broward County, prompting officials to test for red tide. Several beachgoers in the area also reported coughing and mild irritation due to possible red tide exposure.”

This photo captured an eerie moment when people glued to their phones respond sheepishly to the dead fish washing up on shore, choosing to capture it with their phones before anything else.

(Image credit: NY Post)

The problem is still here although public awareness of the situation seems to have died down, and now a lifeguard union boss is demanding that Palm Beach County close its beaches for the safety of everyone, from the lifeguards who work there every day to the general public and everyone at the peach.

If people going to the beach start to notice respiratory problems or other symptoms, they can just leave. However, lifeguards are there trying to earn a paycheck they need. When you need to get paid do you stop working even when conditions get rough?

(Image credit: nationalgeographic)

Conditions are still so rough that lifeguards cannot work or they will be putting themselves in danger. According to a local CBS 12 report:

“Rick Poulette is their voice. He’s president of Communication Workers of America, a labor union for lifeguards. Poulette says dozens of lifeguards have reached out to him, scared to go to work. Poulette says dozens of lifeguards have reached out to him, scared to go to work.”

Rick said: “They feel like the county is not interested in their safety.” Of course the county isn’t interested in their safety, no county government or authority anywhere is interested in anything but self-enrichment generally speaking, unless they are held accountable very persistently by the citizens, which even then is inferior to communities doing things for themselves.

“They’re getting sick. They’re getting ill.”

This Friday was the first day these beaches have reopened, and he said just then, half a dozen lifeguards already left work to seek medical treatment.

A county notice apparently showed them some bleak new “protocol for lifeguards,” instructing them to go so far as to wear goggles, masks, and come to work wearing protective clothes. The lifeguards are only allowed on the beach in “one hour increments.”

(Image credit: hbucollegian)

“Why are the beaches open if it’s that dangerous?” asks Poulette.

Even the mainstream little article admitted the county didn’t say anything helpful: “CBS12 News reached out to county for that answer, but they say signs and flags clearly indicate hazards. But Poulette says that’s not enough.”

“A Palm Beach County lifeguard reached out to CBS12 News. He says a private doctor has advised both him and another lifeguard to stay away from the beach.”

The red tide in Florida is still a problem, and people wonder if it doesn’t have more to do with something secret than just the industrial farming and all that stuff that is said to feed the red, toxic algae to the extent that it causes such problems. 

After all, secret things have taken place in the past that led to similar symptoms.

It’s possible that unsustainable agricultural or farming practices contribute to a red tide, but it’s also possible that factors we don’t understand are at play. People would always be wise to question things.