Florida's cyclical red tide is a toxic algae bloom that suffocates and kills sea life. Not only killing fish, PBS reported that since the bloom started last fall, "(it) has killed dolphins, sea turtles, manatees, even a whale shark." This year, experts have stated the bloom is worse and more persistent than previous years, potentially spreading over 130 miles, and that it could be a result of climate change or other human interference. The overall result: thousands of dead fish and other previously living creature odors clearing beaches from tourists and getting replaced with cleanup crews. Even though fish seem to represent the majority of those who are susceptible to the red tide algae bloom effects, it was reported that they have discovered sea turtles are being killed at four times the rate of previous years. Ecologist Dr. Rick Bartleson said that usually, "you would see 100,000 to 200,000 red tide cells per liter of water. But this year, the red tide has been 10 times worse."

Several informed reporter William Brangham, on Sanibel Island off Florida's coast. Local businesses are being affected as an owner, Trasi Sharp runs the Over Easy Cafe just a few blocks from the beach, and said, "Somehow, we will get through this. We’re hoping it doesn’t last at this pace for too long, but it’s scary." Tour boats are low on business as, Captain Ben Biery explained, "my business for the month of August was down somewhere around 80 percent." With struggling economies, some harder-hit areas have relied on weekly assistance from food banks. Biery also added about not being able to, "drive 100 yards without passing 1,000 or 10,000 dead fish."

In early August 2018 photo, crews cleaned up dead fish on Coquina and on other Florida beaches. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

The Everglades Foundation’s Steve Davis claims that the toxic algae blooms are feeding on fertilizers and pollutants being released by industry and farmers. Sharp agreed and said, "we need the state and federal help. There’s industry and farming that dumps into the waters of Okeechobee, but also it’s on everyone, fertilizers in people’s yards, the dumping of waste of various companies along the river. We just need to do something, or this is going to last generations." Even after in August declaring an emergency in 7 counties and allocating hundreds of thousands of dollars for recovery, Florida Governor Rick Scott still is under pressure to fix the problem. At the mercy of the environment, many near beaches feel they need more help. With Tropical Storm Gordon’s approach giving people hope for the current worst red tide in decades to break up, PBS' Brangham reported, "it’s just a few months until the next potential bloom reemerges from the Gulf."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation’s red tide status report from September 5, 2018