Red Tide Is Killing Marine Life and Scaring Away Tourists in Florida. Here ’s What to Know About It

Tourists and residents alike have been chased away from Florida’s famous beaches by an ominous-sounding ecological occurrence: red tide. Florida sees red tide — an algae outbreak that can kill marine life and sicken humans — nearly every year, but the current flare-up has become severe enough to warrant a state of emergency declaration from Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Here’s what to know about red tide in Florida. What is red tide? The naturally and frequently occurring marine phenomenon is caused by an influx of microscopic algae called Karenia brevis, which give water a namesake reddish hue. The organisms, typically found in the Gulf of Mexico, produce toxins that can kill fish, marine mammals, turtles and seabirds by interfering with nerve transmission, according to a paper published in Ecotoxicology. Humans can develop gastrointestinal illness after eating shellfish contaminated with high levels of Karenia brevis, and suffer from respiratory irritation from breathing in toxins produced by the algae, which also result in an acrid odor. How is red tide affecting Florida? Florida’s 10-month-long red tide outbreak has recently intensified, killing thousands of pounds of fish, as well as wildlife including dolphins, sea turtles and a whale shark, NPR reports. The resulting unpleasant smell, compromised air quality and tons of dead fish have also chased tourists away from the state’s beaches and prompted officials to encourage visitors and resi...
Source: TIME: Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Environment onetime Source Type: news