Florida's Gulf Coast hit by red tide sweep

Tons of dead fish. A smell so awful you gag with one inhale. Empty beaches, empty roads, empty restaurants.

A toxic algae bloom has overrun Florida’s southern Gulf Coast this summer, devastating sea life and driving people from the water.

“I’ve never seen it this bad,” said 31-year-old Heather Lamb of Venice. She’s a hairdresser and makeup artist who styled herself as a dead mermaid and posted photos on social media to raise awareness of the problem. “I feel like it cleanses your soul to go to the beach. For me to not be able to go, it’s painful. I think a lot of people take for granted when they live in Florida. Some people save their paychecks for a whole year to come here.”

Red tide — a naturally occurring toxic algae bloom that can be harmful to people with respiratory problems — has spread throughout the Gulf of Mexico, drifting in the water since it began in October. Stretching about 240 kilometers, it’s affecting communities from Naples in the south to Anna Maria Island in the north and appears to be moving northward.

Toxic water

The algae turns the water toxic for marine life, and in recent weeks beachgoers have been horrified to find turtles, large fish like goliath grouper and even manatees wash up dead. In late July, an 8-meter-long whale shark washed ashore on Sanibel Island, which is known for its pristine beaches. In places like Longboat Key, more than 5 tons of dead fish have been removed from beaches. This week, nine dead dolphins were found in Sarasota County, and marine biologists are investigating whether the deaths are related to red tide.

The Florida Wildlife Research Institute says the number of dead and stranded sea turtles is nearly three times higher than average. More than 450 stranded and dead sea turtles have been recovered in four affected counties this year, and the institute estimates that 250 to 300 died from red tide poisoning.

In Bradenton Beach, the stench was impossible to ignore.

“I can’t describe the smell. It’s like unbelievable. It makes you throw up,” said Holmes Beach resident Alex Kuizon, who has lived in the area for decades. Just a few feet away, hundreds of dead fish clogged a boat ramp.

Red tide is a natural occurrence that happens due to the presence of nutrients in the water and an organism called a dinoflagellate.

“Off the west coast of Florida, we have persistent red tide events that occur with some frequency,” said Steve Murawski, a marine science professor at the University of South Florida.

Another algae problem plagues Florida’s waterways, Murawski said. Blue-green algae affect freshwater, and Murawski said it has a direct correlation to agricultural and urban runoff.

“It’s an area of very active concern,” he said.