Florida algae crisis: Is it safe to visit? Here's what you need to know

Amy Bennett Williams | The News-Press

Show Caption Hide Caption 'I feel like sitting down and crying:' Fort Myers beach volunteer describes finding dead dolphin Dead dolphin washes up on Fort Myers Beach, Florida amid red tide outbreak

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida is living through an unprecedented environmental crisis that’s devastating tourism, recreation and wildlife along the state's southwest coast.

Two kinds of toxic algae are blooming, one in freshwater, one in salt, creating a red tide along the Gulf of Mexico and blanketing rivers and canals inland with goo.

The election-year crisis has set incumbents and candidates to scrambling, squabbling over who’s the biggest champion for residents desperate for solutions. Forums, town halls and public meetings happen nearly every week; protesters march over bridges and through downtowns as social media picture posts run rampant and action groups multiply. But solutions remain elusive.

More: Gov. Rick Scott declares state of emergency for red tide outbreak in Florida

More: Florida algae crisis: Dead sea turtle count at 400

Here’s what we know about the mess:

The culprits are natural

The single-celled organisms that cause both red tide (Karenia brevis) and the blue-green algae bloom (cyanobacteria) can photosynthesize like plants and move through water: Karenia with a whip-like tail, cyanobacteria with bubbles of gas. Both occur naturally in the ecosystem, but like cockroaches or cattails, a population explosion spells trouble. As the human footprint on the Florida peninsula has increased, so have the inputs of nutrients that feed the blooms from farm fields, lawns, golf courses and septic systems.

Why the proliferation?

Algae blooms and red tide have been documented for centuries. What’s different about the current situation is the size, persistence and intensity of the blooms – plus, they’re occurring simultaneously. Usually, blue-green algae is a summertime phenomenon; red tide happens in winter. But this year’s red tide started last October, and neither bloom shows signs of going away any time soon. Some suspect last year's Hurricane Irma is to blame, since the September storm churned up nutrients in Lake Okeechobee that have fertilized the algae, which in turn, may have fed the red tide.

States of emergency

Each bloom has triggered its own state of emergency declaration from Florida Gov. Rick Scott. In July, he targeted the blue-green algae crisis, temporarily cutting flows of polluted water from Lake Okeechobee down the St. Lucie River on the state’s east coast and the Caloosahatchee to the west. The order also increased manpower for testing and monitoring and provided grants to hard-hit businesses.

This month’s order focuses on red tide and provides $1.5 million, plus personnel, for cleanup and wildlife rescue; $500,000 went to the state’s tourism agency to help affected communities woo back visitors. The governor also activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program for companies in algae-affected counties that were hurt by either crisis.

Toll on wildlife

Animals are dying in droves. At least 700 endangered sea turtles have washed up on Sanibel and Captiva islands in a death spiral that started in November and has intensified in recent months. Many of the dead have been large adults. (Normally, deaths would number between 30 to 35 for a year.) Red tide is also being blamed for the death of a 26-foot whale shark that washed up on Sanibel, and manatees, dolphins, Goliath grouper and shorebirds die daily. Scientists estimate the blooms will affect populations for years to come and worry some may never recover.

Dead sea turtles washing up on Southwest Florida beaches including Sanibel and Captiva Scientists are saying this is worst red tide bloom since 2006. Dead sea turtles washing up on Southwest Florida beaches

Tourism, economy take hits

Southwest Florida beaches have been largely empty in recent weeks, and businesses, hoteliers and vacation rental landlords are all reporting losses and lower-than-usual occupancy rates. In a region where tourism brings in some $4.5 billion annually, the slowdown is worrisome, especially because the impact may well extend past summer into the upcoming winter season. “People who choose not to come to our destination now – could have been the next seasonal visitor or resident," Chris Davison, vice president and general manager at Sanibel's Island Inn, told The News-Press earlier this month. In a place where tourism is the economy's mainstay, industry experts shudder to consider the future effects.

Safe to swim – or even breathe?

Should you splash around in a toxic algae bloom? No way, says University of Miami professor and cyanobacteria researcher Larry Brand. Nor should pets, which can die simply from licking algae-wet paws. Some of the toxins produced by the kind of cyanobacteria currently blooming in Florida are among the deadliest on the planet, comparable to cobra venom or ricin.

To make matters scarier, there's the question of airborne toxic algae vapor, which can travel as far as a mile inland, Brand said. Research is ongoing, but he's concerned that "if you breathe these toxins in, they can go directly into your blood system through your lungs or go directly up the olfactory nerve into your brain."

In red tide-affected water, it's probably safe for most people to swim, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – that is, if they can stand the burning throat, itchy skin and runny eyes red tide usually brings. Should you be tempted, "Do not swim among dead fish," it advises, "because they can be associated with harmful bacteria."

Even though the National Weather Service has issued several red tide advisories so far, some daredevils insist on their day at the beach.

Short-term health problems

Red tide’s effects are not subtle – along the lines of mild pepper spray. Coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, shortness of breath and wheezing are all common in those exposed to it. Blue-green algae, though, doesn’t always announce itself with irritation. In places where it’s concentrated, it can cause the same sort of respiratory distress (including gagging at its seriously foul smell), as well as skin rashes from exposure. The Florida Poison Control Center has received 277 calls this year about red tide, compared with 88 last year. For blue-green algae, this year’s calls total 37, compared with last year’s eight.

Long-term questions

What happens years or decades after exposure to red tide and blue-green algae toxins is still being studied, but what’s emerging is an alarming picture. Research has linked cyanotoxins to liver disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). But since these problems usually manifest years after initial exposure, tracking them is an ongoing challenge.

Is Florida seafood safe?

The answer is complicated, but for most not-in-Florida consumers, it probably is.

For one thing, in terms of red tide, most fish and shrimp are harvested far offshore, where the blooms aren't an issue. Even if seafood were to be taken from an affected area, as long as it's skinned and gutted (toxins accumulate in those places) the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it's OK to eat.

However, it says, "It is never a good idea to eat dead or distressed animals, especially in a red tide area." Blue-green algae is another issue. Although some studies show algal toxins concentrate in fish – and one toxin, BMAA, can reach especially high levels in blue crabs, according to Brand's research – the state's health department disagrees. They "do not accumulate much in the edible portion of fish which is the muscle or fillet meat. It is the same for crabs," it said in a statement.

Dealing with the aftermath

Cleanup is daunting. In the last two weeks, Lee County has removed nearly 150,000 gallons of algae slurry in a pilot cleanup program.

Liquids and solids are separated, then pumped into a 5 million gallon holding pond before being injected into a well that is 2,600 feet deep, below the confined drinking water aquifer. Solids are trucked to a landfill. Lee County is using a $2 million grant to clean carcasses off its beaches and waterways.

In August, workers hauled more than 1,400 tons of fish to a landfill or the county’s waste-to-energy incinerator. Sanibel reported collecting nearly 310 tons of waste from its beaches.

When will it be over?

That's a question that stumps even the scientists, especially since the current red tide has jumped its typical seasonal boundaries. Understanding what created the conditions for the dual disaster would help, Calusa Waterkeeper John Cassani said.

So would having a dedicated group to tackle the problems head-on, such as the state's Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force, which was defunded in 2001. "It's really a complex suite of factors that trigger these blooms; at least that's what we're learning now," Cassani said. "So maybe we can use some of this breaking new information and get this out there in a way so we can manage these blooms, maybe even prevent some of them. ... I hope we can get ahead of the curve on that in the future."

Contributing: Chad Gillis, Laura Ruane, Annabelle Tometich and Sheldon Zoldan