Toxic algae blooms decimating sea life around Florida

A hazardous ‘red tide’ algae bloom is reportedly the cause of a significant rise in manatee deaths around the coast of Florida. The state’s wildlife statistics shows that 540 manatees have already died this year, compared to 538 during the entirety of 2017.

As well as being linked to the deaths of almost 100 manatees in the state’s southern coast and the Gulf of Mexico, the toxic Karenia brevis algae has been blamed for killing nearly 270 tonnes of marine life, including fish, dolphins and sharks.

Scientists and conservationists are undecided on the exact causes of this particularly devastating bloom of algae, which produces brevetoxins which enter a creature’s system through its skin, the air it breathes and the food it eats. It is believed a combination of ocean temperature, water salinity, heavy rainfall, wind patterns and pollution levels have all contributed to the freak size and duration of the bloom.

“We expect the red tide-related manatee death toll to rise,” Jeff Ruch, executive director for Washington-based organisation Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said. “We suspect there are a number of carcasses that have not been reported yet.”

Manatees – a large, slow herbivore also known as a sea cow – are a threatened species protected under US law from poaching, and numbers have been steadily rising over the past two decades to reach roughly 6,000 in Floridean waters alone. 2013 saw a record number of manatee deaths (723), but it is deemed likely that 2018 may match or surpass the number.

In addition to the loss of sea life, the Floridean tourism industry has taken a hit after the bloom. Although blooms are fairly common, they rarely last more than a few months; the current one has lasted from one season to the next without waning and stretches across 150 miles of usually picturesque beaches. As well as being potential fatal to many aquatic creatures, Karenia brevis can cause mild respiratory irritation in humans, which can lead to complications if combined with conditions such as asthma.

A separate record-breaking bloom of blue-green bacteria, which also causes damage to sea life and can harm humans, prompted Florida governor Rick Scott to announce a state of emergency in July to combat the pollution which allows the pungent bloom to flourish in waterways around the state.

Although the exact causes of ‘red tide’ remain elusive, scientists are generally more certain with the blue-green blooms: waters warmed by climate change are mixing with polluted runoff and creating perfect conditions for concerning outbreaks such as this.

You can read more about the impact of these blooms on Newsweek and The New York Times. To monitor the spread of the blooms, visit Click Orlando.