Thousands To Join Hands Sunday In Solidarity Against Red Tide

VENICE, FL – As biologists with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Sarasota investigate the deaths of four more bottlenose dolphins discovered on red tide-impacted along beaches in Venice Aug. 7 and 8, environmental activists are staging a demonstration Sunday across Florida to raise awareness of the environmental hazard.

After recovering the bodies of two dolphin Tuesday night, Mote scientists received a report of two more dead dolphins Wednesday morning in the Intracoastal Waterway near Snake Island and on Caspersen Beach.

Two of the dead dolphins are males, one female and the sex of the fourth is unknown. Mote will conduct necropsies at its laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, to determine the cause of death. So far, nine dolphins have been found dead in the waters off Sarasota County.

Additionally, over the weekend the Venice Police Marine Patrol also recovered the body of a young manatee.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are now attributing more than 80 manatee deaths to red tide this year. Last year, 67 manatee deaths were attributed to red tide.

Red tide is caused by microscopic algae that produce toxins that kill marine life and make shellfish dangerous to eat. The toxins may also make the surrounding air difficult to breathe. It occurs in the Gulf of Mexico nearly every year, lasting three to five months and affecting hundreds of square miles.

In recent years, red tide has created an ecological crisis, killing thousands of sea creatures including endangered sea turtles and other marine life. Mote Marine scientists are now working with the state to mitigate the impact of red tide.

But environmental activists like Erin Brockovich blame the spread of red tide on the failure of Florida officials to control nutrient-rich runoff from Lake Okeechobee that is feeding the algae bloom. She's calling on Florida Gov. Rick Scott to take action and has begun a petition drive to pressure state officials for change.

The thousands of dead fish and other marine life washing up on the shores of Manatee, Sarasota and Pinellas counties as the red tide bloom creeps up Florida's west coast is also having an impact on the tourism industry as health officials warn beach-goers to stay out of the water.

St. Petersburg resident Matt Marriott, a wildlife photographer, travel writer, diver and marine conservationist, has been documenting the devastation caused by red tide. He said it gets worse each time he sees it.

"I went down to Bradenton yesterday to survey and document the red tide damage and it was worse than I could have imagined," he said. "I was literally speechless yesterday. The scope and the amount of species affected by this seems unrecoverable."

As he explored the beaches between Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, he said there seems to be no marine species that hasn't been affected.

"There was not a foot of beach line that didn't have a density of dead fish," he said. "There didn't seem to be a species of Gulf fish unaffected. I saw large snook, grouper, tarpon, snapper and every other game fish. Species that seemed to be particularly affected were the eels, frogfish, small flounder and puffer fish. Bait fish were dead in such numbers it was difficult to assess. It is clearly working its way north and will be in the Tampa Bay probably sometime this week.

On Friday, Aug. 10, from 3 to 4 p.m., Mote will host a Red Tide Forum webinar to answer questions and discuss what can be done to fight the harmful algal bloom and better protect marine life and beach-goers.

Mote, an independent research institution, has been at the forefront of red tide studies and research into battling it. Mote scientists will discuss the results of the results of that research during the webinar. The web video chat is open to the first 1,000 registrants. Click here to register.

Additionally, Brockovich is encouraging thousand of Floridians to head to the beaches Sunday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. for a statewide demonstration demanding action. The event, called Hands Along the Water, is being coordinated by Brockovich and various environmental groups throughout the state, including The South Florida Clean Water Movement founded by Adrienne Trask of Sarasota.

Groups will gather at beaches at 10 a.m. Sunday and then lock hands at 10:15 for 15 minutes as a show of solidarity and concern.

In addition to Trask’s group, which will gather at Siesta Key, groups will join hands at Englewood Beach; North Jetty Beach in Nokomis; at 6850 Beach Plaza Blvd. in St. Pete Beach; Venice Beach; Johns Pass, 12901 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete; Pier 60 at Clearwater Beach; Manasota Beach; Gulfport Beach; and Indian Rocks Beach.

Here is a full list of locations.

Marriott agrees the state needs to take immediate action.

"If you are someone who enjoys nature or a sportsmen, a beach-goer, a Floridian or just a human being... you should be outraged about what has been allowed to happen in this state," he said. "The ocean is the very lifeblood of this state, both physically and economically. We can't let this go unaccounted for."

Photographs by Matt Marriott

The last photo shows how red tide appears from the air.

To see more, visit Marriott's website or Instagram @thelife_aquatic.

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