Dead fish float in the ocean off the coast of Florida. This is due to tiny algae and an enormous environmental disaster.
Millions of dead fish, crabs and sea turtles drift along a strip of 250 kilometers off the coast of Florida. According to BR24, this is the largest environmental disaster in decades. This is due to the red algal bloom, whose neurotoxin is harmful to animals and humans and can even lead to death. When it forms, it turns the sea red. That is why it is also called “Red Tide” – that is, “red tide”.
As BR24 reports, this year the algae are up to 17 times more concentrated than the maximum value measured so far. The living beings are tiny, disintegrate in the sea and release toxic substances in the process.
The algae are not new: they were discovered as early as the 19th century. The phenomenon occurs annually in Florida and is caused by nutrients from over-fertilization by agriculture. These get into the sea, for example, via sewage treatment plants. As soon as marine life swim in the red tide, they either die immediately or as a result of long-term effects. This phenomenon can also be dangerous for humans. Because the nerve gas that the algae produce can cause irritation of the mucous membranes or breathing problems through the air (German Foundation for Marine Protection).
Despite the unusually high load from the algae this year, Governor Ron DeSantis has not yet declared a state of emergency. While this would mean government aid, it could also keep tourists away, which could lead to financial losses. According to critics, DeSantis is playing down the “Red Tide” in the hope of being re-elected next year (Tagesschau).
Florida: Why the algae bloom is different this year
The unusually high concentration of algae could be the result of a chemical accident: In April, media such as n-tv reported a leaky sewer basin at a disused phosphate mine and fertilizer factory near Piney Point – an industrial site in Manatee County, Florida. The water was pumped out and flowed directly into the sea – together with phosphate, ammonia and nitrate. This means that a large amount of fertilizer could have entered the sea, which could have favored the formation of the algae.
Even then, environmentalists warned that the sewage could cause dangerous algal blooms that could cause marine life to suffocate. Now their fears seem to have come true.
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