Dead fish are washing up on Florida shores amid red tide bloom

Red tide occurs when there are too many algae in the water which pollute surrounding area with harmful toxins

Dead fish are washing up along the Gulf coast shorelines in Florida amid a widespread red tide.

Red tide occurs when there are too many algae in the water which pollute the surrounding area with harmful toxins, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The toxic algae can kill marine life and cause respiratory problems in people.

Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties ranged from having high to low concentrations of algae in the water. Still, in the past week alone, the FWC said dead fish have washed up on the shores in those counties.

Beyond killing fish and causing respiratory problems, the red tide has displaced sharks earlier this month. Hundreds of coastal sharks have found refuge in canals, escaping from the harmful toxins.

Last month, the National Weather Service issued a warning for Pinellas County residents, saying the red tide bloom may cause coughing, sneezing, and watery eyes. Those with asthma or a lung condition are particularly susceptible. The harmful toxins have also already caused a record number of manatee deaths this year.

Red tide has occurred in the gulf coast as early as the 1700s has bloomed on and off in Florida since the 1840s.

Throughout the past few years, the red tide has caused harm to marine life. In 2017, the bloom started on the southwest coast and spread to the panhandle and east coast, causing 2,000 tons of dead marine life.

In 2019, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reactivated The Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force to coordinate with other research groups on how to lessen the severity of red tides.

This year’s bloom may be caused by both warming waters and pollution.

In April, the Piney Point fertiliser plant released more than 200 million gallons of toxic discharge into Tampa Bay. Experts told Audubon, an environmental non-profit, that the waste contributed to the severity of the bloom.