
Dead fish litter a beach in Fort Myers Florida. A lingering red tide off Florida's southwest coast has killed hundreds of fish turtles and other sea life in recent weeks
The sparkling white sand of Florida's southwestern beaches aren't dotted with sunbathers this week.
Experts suggest an excess amount of nutrients, coming from inland Florida and dumping into the Gulf of Mexico from rivers, could be making this year's bloom more persistent.
Red tide is the name given to the blooms of a species of microorganisms that have a distinct red colour.
According to the Miami Herald, Florida has been dealing with one of the worst red tides in decades, leading to many dead fish and marine wildlife.
Florida's southwest coast, a ribbon of inlets and barrier islands normally brimming with wildlife, has become a red tide slaughterhouse this summer. "We're even seeing large loggerhead sea turtles being effected, and that's because this red tide has lasted into the nesting season". Red tide is a type of marine algae that undergoes an explosive growth and begins producing toxins.
The city is issuing a daily "fish kill clean-up" report because of the "unprecedented volume of dead sea life now washing up". The algae bloom - which gets its name because the microscopic algae often turn water red - has already lasted since November of a year ago, and could stretch into 2019, some scientists are saying. Polluted discharges from Lake Okeechobee are blamed for the toxic algae problems.
The latest red tide report from the FWC shows high concentrations along the southwest Florida coast.
But the bloom is not only unsafe to marine animals.
Usually, cold spells break up or kill off some of the algae, but not this time.
More than a dozen people have gone to the emergency room after exposure to the blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria. "That's due, in part, to having red tide and a very cold winter", said Mezich.
Recommended News
-
United Nations inviting Yemen's warring parties to talks in Geneva in September
Meanwhile, the United Nations said it will invite the parties involved in Yemen's conflict for talks on 6 September . Saudi Arabia suspended oil exports through the channel following last week's Houthi attacks on crude tankers.Ohio State's Meyer: I 'failed' in denying prior knowledge about fired assistant
The order, which was signed July 20, is effective until 2023 and prohibits Zach Smith from going within 500 feet of his ex-wife. Now, with the football season only weeks, the university has formed an independent panel to help decide Meyer's future.Drake’s "In My Feelings" Music Video Is Finally Here!
It looks like Drake is getting ready to drop off the official video for his #1 single " In My Feelings ". Karena Evans helmed the production, reteaming with Drake after directing the two aforementioned videos. -
BusinessWeek Had The Best Joke About Apple Becoming A Trillion Dollar Company
The feat was achieved momentarily by PetroChina in 2007, after a successful debut on the Shanghai Stock Exchange that same year. This meant that Apple shares had to reach $207.04 per share before breaking $1 trillion.Vidal Joins Barcelona On A Three-Year Deal
The Chilean worldwide joined Bayern Munich in 2015 from Juventus, and won the Bundesliga title in each of his three seasons at the club.Reward for Mollie Tibbetts' safe return raises to $172000
Investigators , with the help of Federal Bureau of Investigation forensic experts, were tracking Tibbetts' digital footprint . Thank you for signing up for the Sunrise Newsletter. -
Heatwave sees temperatures approach Europe record of 48C
Although it's unlikely for temperatures to go over 50°C, records may very well be broken, Yeomans says. Portugal has brought in various measures including a text-alert system to warn those in danger.NASA to announce new astronaut class on Friday
Four of the eight astronauts will nearly certainly be Bob Behnken , Eric Boe , Doug Hurley , and Sunita "Suni" Williams . The astronauts assigned to the Starliner's first mission are Sunita Williams , who retired as a Navy captain, and Cmdr.Google demands: only one notch per edge, two in total per device
While we have seen the number of notched Android phones growing increasingly this year, consumers are still divided on the notch. As such, Google has given official guidance on the matter, saying that devices should have no more than two notches. -
Meyer put on leave, investigation starts
Smith was sacked right before Big Ten Media Days and was replaced on an interim basis by former Buckeyes wideout Brian Hartline . Smith is facing a criminal trespass charge from an incident involving a child custody exchange with his ex-wife back in May.Russian airline says 18 killed in Siberian helicopter crash
Meanwhile, black boxes from the Mi-8 have already been retrieved from the crash site, but their condition is yet unclear. Among those killed were three members of the crew, with the other 15 believed to have been oil workers.Dozens injured as Aeromexico plane crashes in Mexico
The first images of the crash site shared on social and Mexican media showed a plane partially immersed in flames. The United States will send two people to assist the Mexican investigative team, a U.S aviation official said.