Red tide closes Florida beaches, could impact millions in tourism dollars

[BeckyDem]

OCEAN RIDGE, Fla. — Along with a warning about rough surf at Deerfield Beach about an hour north of Miami was this: "Possible red tide."

"My throat tickled so bad," said Weslynn Davis, who was coughing at the beach.

The problem is caused by toxic algae and prolonged exposure can lead to more serious health issues. The algae is naturally-occurring, but massive blooms along Florida's West Coast, believed to be fueled by pollution, have killed fish and other marine life.

Now, dead fish have started to pop up on Florida's East Coast where red tide is rare. Scientists are looking into whether currents carried the algae over, or whether it sprung up on its own.

It's been detected in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, where certain beaches have closed. Testing continues in the greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale area, which depends on its beaches for millions in tourist dollars.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/red-tide-closing-florida-beaches-could-impact-tourism-dollars/

[greymattermom]

1. So is it at

Mar a Lago? You can smell the stuff even if you're not on the beach. If it's there, Trump and his minions will be affected. This has been going on for months at my favorite beach, Siesta Key. Tourism will be ruined, condos will not be rented, restaurants will close, and the long term toxic effects will be known. Mar a Lago membership will be worthless. It's really scary because no one knows what the effects of long term exposure are, and they could be serious. This is happening way before sea level rise is scheduled to ruin the place.

[BeckyDem]

2. I agree. It is scary as hell and it should be a wake up call to people who believe

deregulating every protection is freedom. Scary and depressing.

[Bfd]

3. Palm Beach is in the danger area. Singer Island is long time fav of mine. It is closed.

Singer Island is part of the greater Palm Beach area& Mar a Lago is part of that area.
It was reported a year ago that the runoff of fertilizers from lawns, golf courses etc is a big contributor to the bloom.

The Atlantic side of FL is rarely affected by red tide, until recently.

Palm Beach area is affected in part because of the ocean current that runs particularly close to this part of FL, bringing & keeping the toxic bloom near the coastline.

Beaches from Tampa, south to Sanibel on the Gulf s8de of the State, and along the eastern Atlantic coastline have been damaged by the bloom.

Yes. It is seriously impacting tourism.

Many hold Fl Gov Rick Scott accountable for allowing his pro business political 'friends' to remain unregulated in their contribution to runoff waste.

Government Financial Assistance to the FL business & tourist industry, being devastatingly affected, has already run in the hundred millions of dollars with no end in sight.

Though Red Tide occurs naturally and has affected FL coastlines before, it has never reach the conditions the State is now faced with.

There is indeed a degree of human negligence to blame.

[BeckyDem]

4. Thanks for all that background information.

[Bfd]

5. I read it on a Fl red tide warning site last night. Of course I can't locate it this morn for a link

There was much rumbling about human waste & especially runoff from use of lawn fertilizer in particular vs environmentalists who have been sounding the alarm for a few yrs now as to the damage done by multi million $$ properties, & their abuse of the environment including toxins of overuse of lawn/golf course fertilization since it all flows directly into the waterways & to the ocean.

They pointed fingers at Gov Scott for ignoring their warnings in favor of big fatcat billionaire investors.

Some Palm Beach area beaches will re-open as the toxic red tide moves on but cities will decide that, via their own testing.

The clean up of dead fish, turtles, etc that line the affected beaches is ongoing.

[BeckyDem]

6. That paints a horrifying picture. I mean come on, there is human contribution here and we all

know the motivation behind most of it. Not ignorance of toxins, we have known for decades their dangers. Its their refusal to regulate in order to get what they want, consequences be damned.

I swear to god, they act as if none of this will ever kill their neck of the woods. Arrogant and dumb.

[Bfd]

8. Yup. Like 'Round Up' did to agruculture. Same greed & disregard is destroying our coastline

Red tide is appearing in coastal areas where it rarely existed before & it's staying longer too.

I first heard of the fight between FL govt & environmentalists on the fertilizer washing into the ocean when I visited Destin FL beaches 3 yrs ago.

They've been testing the waterflow for contaminants & sounding the warning for a long time.

The ocean current takes it and simply washes it elsewhere.
It's like the deep sea oil spills. The Companies would like us to believe the junk they dump in the ocean simply disperses & dilutes & we're all good again.

They ignore it till it shows up on our coastline & in the ocean food we consume.

Sick isn't it.

[BeckyDem]

10. Chip away at our beautiful and yes, fragile environment as if they have somewhere else to go

when they're done with it.

Very sick indeed.

[Aristus]

7. In the meantime, Florida Man says: "Surf's up!"

[Bfd]

9. It is. But you have to swim out through the toxic soup of dead fish & turtles, past the breakers

to catch those waves.
And then swim back through it to the shoreline
And its a good idea to wear a oxy tank or respiratory device since you can't breath the toxic air wafting from the coastal soup.

So yes, surf is still up!!

There is a lab in Sarasota that was using ozone to kill the red tide cells.
Think it's called 'Mote.'
I haven't heard how they're doing with it. Kudos to them for the effort.

[BeckyDem]

11. Mote. I will have to read about that.

Thanks again for adding so much to this thread.

[Bfd]

13. You are welcome. I just find it so devastating & preventable.

It is our planet & you are so correct. Where else will we go when this one is ruined.

[Aristus]

12. Well, this is Florida Man we're talking about.

If he can stroll naked through a Wal-Mart parking lot while high on meth, I think he can do this...

[Bfd]

14. Lol. He won't even notice the fish stew in that case.

Ha.. i knew people just like that as i partied my way theough life.
Not many though, they are a rare breed but unmistakable in their constant living of life on fast-forward.

There is no stew they cannot swim through

[packman]

15. Should call it "Scott Tide" - this is the result of business at any price

He and his administration let loose the dogs of pollution by kissing business/agro ass and now we see the price of ignoring even the most basic of controls.

[BeckyDem]

16. Definitely.

[appalachiablue]

17. +1