Apathy for Florida's Rising Red Tides

Heading South on I-275, as you cross over the Skyway bridge, the smell of fish baking in the hot midday sun is immediately pungent and at times stifling. Fishing piers and rest stops seem relatively vacant. Only subtle traces of their typically lively populations of tourists and local anglers remain. Head further South and you notice the beaches almost deserted, with very few willing to brave the stench of bloated carcasses littered along the sand, and none daring to attempt a swim. Those that remain peer curiously through watering eyes as they kick and poke at the myriad of brightly colored tropical fish, rays and eels sprinkled along the shore like the casualties of a wartime marine landing. With tourist season swiftly approaching, very few locals would deny the effect the current red tide bloom is having on the economy, but even fewer seem to be willing to surmise its cause.

While efforts to remove dead fish and wildlife help to alleviate some of smell, very little if any effort has been put forth to come up with a solution or an underlying cause. According to their webpage, at current count, Sarasota has removed approximately 226 tons of what the County calls “red tide debris” from local waterways. Sadly, viewing the Fish and Wildlife Commission's 2018 preliminary manatee mortality report you find that “red tide debris” includes, at current, at least 56 manatees listed as casualties of the outbreak. Dig a little further and you find that “red tide debris” includes all sorts of things such as turtles, dolphins and even a whale shark that washed up on Sanibel island.

Sarasota County’s vernacular seems representative of our state’s larger outlook on red tide. Despite Rick Scott’s declaration of a state of emergency, few are willing to admit there is a problem. While scaring tourists away with visions of rotting sea life scattered along the beach would be economically unwise for the state, terming dead marine mammals as debris appears somewhat dismissive in a state that relies on ecotourism. This impassivity is echoed in areas around the community both public and scientific. 

James Alvis, a 57 year old lifetime resident of Sarasota explains, “It’s natural. I’ve seen this sort of thing come and go before, long before people were worried about runoff or pollution.” Information Specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Michelle Kerr gives a similar analysis, “Red tide is caused by Karenia Brevis, a toxic Dinoflagellate that occurs naturally offshore...” When questioned further as to any specific sources, her responses were disappointingly generic and only briefly did she mention human causes. “A variety of different factors affect the intensity of it…salinity, natural nutrients in the water, as well as man made runoff...” Kerr stated.

Both Alvis and Kerr’s responses are reflective of the apathy regarding red tide around the state. While residents maybe fearful of placing blame, observers outside the state have not been as reticent to point a finger at likely causes. In an editorial on their website, Greenpeace Oceans Campaign Director, John Hocevar states, “...Toxic algae blooms like this occur naturally, but they have grown in frequency and intensity in recent years. While the causes are subject to some debate, the likely culprits are a combination of elevated water temperatures from climate change, increased nutrient load from Big Sugar, phosphate mines and other sources…” While the smell of red tide might be quite unpleasant, it is the lack of relevant social discourse that truly stinks.