When visiting our local beaches, is the water red? Do you start coughing and sneezing from the air? These red waters are known as the Red tide, a plague in the ocean that occurs every year. It can kill thousands of fish and marine life, and has the chance to poison the very food we consume. Meanwhile, what causes this tragic phenomenon? Is it a natural occurrence? Do humans cause it? Or how can it affect us?
What is a Red tide and its primary cause?
The event known as “Red Tide” is a common occurrence in the state of Florida in the seasons of late summer and early fall. However, many do not know the true cause of this deadly event.
The primary ingredient of Red Tide is a specific type of algae known as “Karenia Brevis”, a common algae in the oceans around us. However, it is due to human influence that allows this algae to grow exponentially via agricultural nutrient pollution.
The NOAA defines nutrient pollution as “the process where too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, are added to bodies of water and can act like fertilizer, causing excessive growth of algae.” However, the source of the excess nitrogen and phosphorus is most commonly found as the result of poor agricultural practices. Such practices often lead to the chemicals being washed into the ocean through runoff, contributing to the excess nitrogen and phosphorus that fuel the growth of harmful algae.
The deposition of fertilizers and agricultural runoff into our waterways enables the Red Tide algae to reproduce and spread rapidly across the seafloor and become a toxin.
How does this affect Marine life?
When the Red Tide expands in the ocean, it leads to the death of thousands of marine animals as they become poisoned due to the Red Tide toxin. For instance, Manatee populations are largely affected by Red tides every year. According to the Conservancy of South West Florida, “In 2018, red tide killed 288 threatened manatees. After ingesting the toxin, which coats their food, manatees become paralyzed and eventually drown.” Red tide goes beyond the death of Manatees, but stretches to the death of hundreds of thousands of fish. Often leading to fish being found dead on coastal beaches or floating down canals here on Marco Island.
Impact on local Businesses
As the Red Tide wipes out large numbers of fish, local businesses start to feel the impact. Many citizens rely on the fishing industry to feed their families. Local commercial fishermen are faced with a severe lack of income due to the lack of healthy fish to sell. In addition, the Red tide has a major impact on local bait shops around the island. The owner of the local bait shop, Marco Island Bait & Tackle, spoke about the detrimental effects of the plague and its impact on their business. Owner Michael Olcha stated, “It hurts sales, and it’s very detrimental to the fishing industry. In itself, whenever the red tides come around now, they greatly adversely affect the business”. Beyond hurting sales, Red Tide also creates problems in simply securing bait for customers. This shortage makes it difficult for both recreational and professional fishers to continue their work, as Olcha explained, “It hurts the ability to even get baits for people to go fishing. So it actually takes away from people who fish for a living or fish for subsistence… it goes beyond monetary value.”
Red tide’s effects on the body
Red tide is an irritant to some, as it can cause severe lung disease if heavily exposed. Common symptoms of small airborne exposure to Red tide include: coughing, sneezing, runny nose, wheezing, or shortness of breath. Red tide can be less harmful to some than others. The American Lung Association “For people with chronic respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, the threat is even greater as exposure to brevetoxins can cause a worsening of respiratory symptoms.” There are many steps you can take to avoid exposure to the Red tide. People should often avoid swimming in areas that contain the toxin, in addition to reducing outdoor activities such as exercise. Furthermore, those with respiratory conditions should carry emergency medications such as inhalers when required to go outside, as the risk of Red tide is high.
Red tide water seen at your local beach is more than an eyesore – it creates problems for local fishermen and businesses, while also being an irritant that can impact your health. As of today, numerous attempts have been made to mitigate the ocean plague through the establishment of task forces dedicated to finding solutions, including the implementation of agricultural laws aimed at reducing nutrient pollution from agriculture. It is important to follow the local ordinance in Marco Island for fertilizer regulations (ordinance no. 16-02) on application, and if you are further interested, contact the Red Tide Task Force or the NOAA for any information regarding Red Tide.
