What's going on in Florida? Local residents are calling for Governor Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency.
According to Daily Mail, it's all due to a toxic organism threatening both beachgoers and state wildlife. We're talking about red tide. For anyone who's ever lived near a body of water, you likely know that red tide is an algae bloom. It's caused by the algae Karenia brevis growing unchecked. As a result, the water becomes an enflamed red and can cause health issues for swimmers.
Red tide causes skin irritation, shortening of breath, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. It can also affect the seafood caught there as well. The toxic organism can cause vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, numbness, and muscle aches. Red tide contaminates seafood with brevetoxin. Locals want to declare a state of emergency with the red tide occupying 200 miles and growing.
It's covered from Tampa Bay to Key West. Scientists believe last year's hurricane season played a role in the current ecological threat in Florida. Besides swimmers, the red tide also poses a risk to wildlife. So far, it has killed fish and dolphins in Florida.
Florida Red Tide
"While providing funds for engineering solutions, the government has not done a very good job at controlling or fixing polluted waterways," Eric Milbrandt, marine lab director of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), told the Guardian.
The red tide itself is not uncommon. Florida typically experiences one per year at least.
"We have a lot of them in the state of Florida," Milbrandt said. "It's great that the state has been investing in engineering technology, and it does have promise, but it likely would be limited to smaller blooms."
But Milbrandt says that a state of emergency would better address the response. Although, DeSantis approved $125 million in funding in 2019, red tides remain an issue.
"From a response perspective, it should be kind of an emergency management response like a hurricane," he said. Red tides pose a risk to swimmers, the environment, and also industry of Florida.
"We just want something to happen here," he said. "A statewide approach, like an emergency management approach, would be useful."
