Red tide, a naturally occurring phenomenon caused by the overproduction of the harmful algae Karenia brevis, is currently affecting a substantial stretch of the Gulf coast in southwest Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has been at the forefront of monitoring this bloom, which has raised significant health and environmental concerns. Counties along the affected coastline have issued health alerts, and the outbreak is suspected in the deaths of marine life, including two dolphins found in Collier County.
The outbreak's origins trace back to the nutrient-rich waters churned by Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, which provided an ideal environment for the algae to flourish. Red tides pose threats to both humans and animals, causing skin irritation and respiratory distress. The FWC has ramped up efforts by increasing routine sampling and implementing new measurements to track the bloom more effectively. They are collaborating with partners to produce metrics of severity based on the bloom's extent and duration.
“FWC has increased routine sampling, added new measurements, and are planning an event response survey with a collaborative team. We have improved communication tools, like creating a series of educational red tide animated videos,” – Jonathan Veach
The FWC's comprehensive approach includes working with organizations such as the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and the Mote Marine Laboratory to mitigate red tide effects. Despite these efforts, red tides remain difficult to tackle due to non-point source pollution. Eric Milbrandt from SCCF emphasized the challenges, noting that while engineering technology shows promise, it may be limited to addressing smaller blooms.
“We have a lot of them in the state of Florida, and it’s non-point source pollution, so it’s difficult to tackle. It’s great that the state has been investing in engineering technology, and it does have promise, but it likely would be limited to smaller blooms,” – Eric Milbrandt
Florida's commitment to tackling this issue is evident through its financial allocations. The state has designated $5 million for red tide research and mitigation for fiscal year 2024-25, with an additional $5 million proposed for 2025-26. These funds aim to support local communities in their response efforts.
“Dedicated funding is available to support local communities in their red tide response efforts, including assistance for this event if necessary, although none has been requested so far. For fiscal year 2024-25, $5m was allocated, with an additional $5m proposed for 2025-26.” – Alexandra Kuchta
Despite these measures, some experts call for a more robust emergency response akin to how hurricanes are managed. They argue that current efforts may not be sufficient given the potential economic impacts on tourism and local revenue.
“From a response perspective, it should be kind of an emergency management response like a hurricane. At this point it’s reliant on the department of health to post it, the Florida Wildlife Research Institute to collect the samples, and by the time it’s affecting a community there’s potentially millions of dollars in revenue and tourism economy [at risk].” – Eric Milbrandt
The intensifying blooms have also caught the attention of environmental agencies concerned about climate change's role in exacerbating harmful algal blooms. The Environmental Protection Agency warns of more frequent and intense blooms as climate change progresses.
“With a changing climate, harmful algal blooms can occur more often, in more fresh or marine waterbodies, and can be more intense,” – Environmental Protection Agency
While recognizing the current intensification, FWC's Jonathan Veach noted that this red tide bloom is still fairly typical regarding timing, intensity, and location. However, improved communication tools such as educational videos aim to keep the public informed.
“Thus far, while recognizing the current intensification, this red tide bloom is still fairly typical in terms of timing, intensity and location.” – Jonathan Veach