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Nancy Smith

Red Tide Scientists Speak, but Some People Won't Listen

August 14, 2018 - 6:00am
Sanibel Island beach a week ago
Sanibel Island beach a week ago

Finally, the scientists.

The only question is, did they show up in time to dispel the ecoterrorist myths and other politically driven bullcrackers about Florida red tide? 

If you're looking for answers about the pall of death that's settled on Gulf Coast beaches, click here and spend the hour it takes to view Mote Marine Laboratory's forum from last week. Frankly, I wish you would. There's so much intentional confusion out there.

Mote, in Sarasota, is ground zero for Karenia brevis red tide. It is an independent research institution that has studied Florida red tide for decades in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, among other partners. 

(The Mote scientists' panel, by the way, is shown on this page: from left, Gretchen Lovewell, program manager for Mote’s Strandings Investigation Program; Dr. Rich Pierce, senior scientist and program manager for ecotoxicology research; Dr. Tracy Fanara, staff scientist and program manager for environmental health; Dr. Vince Lovko, staff scientist and program manager for phytoplankton ecology; and Hayley Rutger, content development manager and moderator.)

Unsurprisingly, the most frequent question residents asked the panel: Is Florida red tide related to the blue-green algae bloom plaguing the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries? The answer was no. 

Said Dr. Vince Lovko, "Blue-green algae is a type of bacteria that uses the energy of the sun like plants. Those are freshwater species and not always toxic. Karenia brevis, or red tide, is a marine organism that survives in a high-salinity environment. ... It can use at least 12 sources of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients, making bloom dynamics extremely complex and challenging to sort out."

This panel Q&A isn't going to tell you how to stop red tide from moving onshore, or even why it can gravitate from one beach to another in a few hours. Scientists around the world are still working on that one. But it will help you separate fact from fiction, you'll discover the enormity of the thing you're dealing with and how you can help as a volunteer now and as a good citizen later.

I Beg to DifferScientists are still investigating theories and connections. For example, what specifically makes red tide grow, why you don't want to kill it, when it will leave, what effect climate change or Sahara dust might have on it and what breakthroughs are close.

Maybe it's a coincidence, but it seems to me since Friday's online forum, the press is taking greater care to make responsible distinctions in how they play red tide stories. See Kimberley Miller's "SPECIAL REPORT: A foul task -- cleaning up Florida’s red tide corpses" in the Palm Beach Post and Craig Pittman's "Red Tide’s toxic toll -- your questions answered" in the Tampa Bay Times.

The activist terrorists would have you believe coastal nutrient pollution caused Florida red tide. 

It did not.

It did not come from Lake Okeechobee or from the Caloosahatchee River or from state government.

Florida red tides develop 10-40 miles offshore, away from man-made nutrient sources. They occurred in Florida long before human settlement. Severe red tides were observed in the mid-1900s before the state’s coastlines were heavily developed.

The problem is, in the 21st Century, the coastlines really are developed. Intensely so. Once red tides are transported inshore toward such an active environment,  they can feast and grow on man-made nutrients.

Any nutrient that spills off the land -- fertilizer from farms, ranches, golf courses and homeowners' yards, road runoff, sewage, all the products of development ... and for that matter, even dead marine life the organism creates -- can Miracle-Gro a red tide bloom.

What the scientists didn't talk about are the activist-terrorists who seize any opportunity to exploit dead animals and noxious beaches to attack Gov. Rick Scott, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and farmers. They have no real solutions. They aren’t interested. Their strategy is simple: Get bad or flat-out wrong information accepted into the narrative, then you upset already frustrated people who in turn threaten farmers and the Okeechobee lakeside communities with violence. And just as important, maybe you elect the people they want you to elect.

Earlier last week CNN, with all its clout, sent reporter Bill Weir to Sanibel Island. Instead of matching a red tide story to the photos displayed of dead fish on the beach, Weir allowed his story to meander into Lake Okeechobee blame. "Scientists search for 'smoking gun' in the dead zone of Florida's red tide" failed to consider that Karenia brevis at times since October has stretched 150 miles along the coast and too far north for the Caloosahatchee to affect. Broadcast and written, it was a story with an agenda.  

But like I said, that's the information you want in your narrative if you're an activist terrorist.  You want people to confuse red tide and blue-green algae. You want to keep Lake Okeechobee "the valley of the shadow of death."

More disappointing than the CNN story was a commentary from Julie Hauserman, a reporter I hired many years back and have always considered one of the best environmental writers in Florida. Julie is editor-in-chief of the new political and government online site, Florida Phoenix. I knew she would give me a great read, but what I didn't expect was so much agenda in "Yes, this really is Rick Scott, Adam Putnam and Pam Bondi’s fault."

"Yes, this really is ..." blames dead manatees, marine mammals, fish and hundreds of sea turtles washing up on Florida’s southwest coast not on red tide, an organism born in oligotrophic offshore waters and pushed into coastal waters by winds and tides. Instread we can lay the death of these creatures at the feet of Scott, Putnam and Attorney General Pam Bondi for claiming that "setting pollution limits for sewage, manure and fertilizer runoff would be an 'onerous regulation' by an 'overbearing federal government.'"

The back story Julie never mentioned: During a deep recession, including a Florida unemployment rate above 11 percent, Environmental Protection Agency Director Lisa Jackson wanted to impose on Florida numeric nutrient standards she couldn't justify. A study by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the University of Florida projected the EPA mandates could have cost Florida up to $1.6 billion annually and eliminated 14,500 jobs. Plus, a survey of nine Florida water utilities estimated a household's sewer rates would have increased by $62 per month, or more than $700 per year. Even Sen. Bill Nelson objected because of "the potential cost of compliance."

In one analysis, PolitiFact concluded, "The new EPA water regulations would force the state to make drainage canals every bit as clean as pristine Florida river systems." A cost-prohibitive undertaking.

Incidentally, Mote scientists were asked specifically: Does red tide affect drinking water? "No," replied Dr. Tracy Fanara. "... Reverse osmosis equipment removes toxins."

I'm not going to kid myself. I know the activist-terrorists' agenda won't go away because Mote Marine Laboratory gave Floridians a Webinar with actual scientists who study red tide every day. They have too much at stake between the election and the money that flows in from billionaire patrons on a mission. But a lot of people watched the video and I believe understand more about red tide this week than they did last. I have hope.

Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith

Comments

Exactly. It's like debating the cause of global warming while standing knee-deep in seawater. It's irrelevant what caused global warming, but it's a fact. Rising seawater levels continue while we debate whether or not it's man-made or natural - or just a "Chinese hoax" like the president claims. I'm not complaining: by the end of the next decade, I'll have beachfront property in what's now downtown Bradenton.

Exactly. It's like debating the cause of global warming while standing knee-deep in seawater. It's irrelevant what caused global warming, but it's a fact. Rising seawater levels continue while we debate whether or not it's man-made or natural - or just a "Chinese hoax" like the president claims. I'm not complaining: by the end of the next decade, I'll have beachfront property in what's now downtown Bradenton.

After reading your comment I found myself searching for the rest of the article,but no,I had read it all! Presumptuous to assume 'many did not read the article'. Equally invalid to say 'people are looking for 2 or 3 to blame'. I assume most people do know it is not solely the fault of Scott & the GOP. But his abysmal record on the environment (like good buddy trump) made it WORSE,& he has been warned for the last 7 years. One of many good reasons to vote for Bill Nelson.

Couldn't have said it better myself... ;)

As stated by Mote scientists once red tide comes in shore it feeds on man-made nutrient pollution all made worse by the current Administration and Adam Putnam, Scott dismantled growth management, the DEP, cut funding to all environmental agencies (FWC, DEP, water management districts, etc.). Putnam pushed a bill that removed numeric load reductions required by agriculture in favor of “best practices” with no accountability. The list of environmental damages these people have done is long and they are a part of the problem. A part that needs to go.

We need to quit looking for a person or political party to blame and just start listening to scientists. We are all to blame when it comes to destroying nature because of greed , ignorance and narcissism. Let’s stop the blame game , elect officials for conservation, believe scientists and be personally responsible. Wake up .... it’s getting worse

Unfortunately all the major world economies want GROWTH GROWTH and MORE GROWTH. Even the chinese abandoned zero population growth some years ago. We humans are destroying our ecosystem on perhaps the most beautiful planet in our universe.

You continue to push this stupid political nonsense ...even when professional scientisits who study this all the time tell you..it is not man made. There is a lot of fake sights...fake reports. Try the truth. We were blessed with Rick Scott. Bill Nelson did very little for Florida and it is his time for term limits. Democrats and their socialism is the last thing we need.

Professionial scientists "paid millions by Mosaic!" This article is so obviosly a desperate attempt to convince residents that red tide is natural and us residents are THE ONLY ONES to blame! the notion that the distance from the caloosahatchee to tampa bay is too far to have an affect is just childish. Only the foolish will fall for this articles claim that Decades of saturating canals with herbicides or saturating agriculture with fertilizers is not to blame.

Until Republicans are gone from Florida and Democrats have time too clean it up (if its not too late) my money and i will be staying the hell out of Florida.

Why don't you take your Socialist butt to San Francisco, democrats are in control there!

you poor child. control your anger...

Great news

Please do...stay the hell out of Florida!

Please do

Yep that's just messed up

The two problems we're experiencing are different. Red Tide, is a natural occurring condition, in the warm waters of the Gulf. It doesn't occur on the east coast, because the water is cooler and the currents are stronger and cover a larger area. The Atlantic ocean. The Blue/Green toxic algae, formed as a result of the greatly polluted waters of Lake O (fresh water), getting drained and mixed into the Brackish, and salt waters of the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers, estuaries and gulf. The fresh water portions of both of these exit points are stagnant and low in oxygen. Full of nutrients like fertilizer, raw sewage from septic tanks, dog waste, pesticides and herbicides. Algae love those conditions. It's the breakfast of champions for algae. Then when you throw in the waste from all the development to the north, along with the multi-billion Orlando tourist traps. Well there you have it! The Hoover *** was built to allow development of lands south of the lake. Greedy land barons wanted more money, and the sugar companies big swaths of it. So now the water in Lake O, has no "Natural" place to go anymore, because we're holding it back to protect the developed land south. And the only two release valves go east and west. Into the Gulf and the Atlantic. We're going to have to start somewhere. And a larger southern flow back into the Glades is where we need to start. If sugar doesn't like it, they can find another home.

very well said

Tell us how to make this happen genius?

The politicos have continually catered to Big Sugar and Mosaic ... and Scott and Putnam have continually reduced regulations under the Clean Water Act ... as well as relaxing standards on the use of fertilizers and the installation of septic systems. The Water Management Districts have continually had their budgets cut with hundreds of their inspectors and environmentalists laid off. The problem was there and growing ... but Scott and Putnam made it a hundred times worse than it was!

Mosaic and/or 215 million gallon slurry rich phosphate spill that went down the seine coal 300' plus into the Florida aquifer and mote marine one of their largest money backer is mosaic Wink news in are viewed my body which has been a charter captain for over 30 years talked about this and other possible causes and they cut the interview down to a 5 second clip No there's no media censorship on This your the 1st person I seen put mosaic up when they should be on the top of the list There were 4 more multi million gallon spills one into the peace river and 1 in the Tampa Bay that people never heard about

That's the narrative Nancy talks about. Accusations with no proof. What I see is a governor and administration that pulled us out of the deep water we were sinking in in 2010 and still did more for our Florida Everglades in 8 years than any governor since Jeb got Cerp rolling. Thank you Nancy and Governor Scott.

the proof is there if you want to find it, just look. Here's a good start https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2018/08/03/yes-this-really-is-rick-scott-adam-putnam-and-pam-bondis-fault/

You didn't read the story, did you?

just because Nancy, says it, you believe it. You do understand that SSN is a far right Repub rag blog, right? Dumbass...

Sad commentary that intentionally maligns those that want to bring sound science back into Florida government. Nancy totally marginalizes and excuses Rick Scott's 8 years of neutering those Florida agencies responsible for making sound decisions concerning the environment and growth management. Thoughts and prayers.... Sure.

And who was responsible for the blooms that occurred before mass industrialization took hold in Florida? There are countries around the globe with far less environmental oversight than we have here in the US who pollute their waterways which in turn run off into warm saline waters, and they experience no blooms at all, harmful or otherwise. What is YOUR sound "science-based" reason for why some places with similar conditions to Florida's Gulf coast experience HABs and some places don't? Obviously, the answer is more than just "it's Rick Scott's fault."

Activists-terrorists?, hands along the water was about as peaceful as peaceful could be... Anything to support your own agenda. if you think this is not related, you are clearly smoking too much medical marijuana. As I said previously, these scientists have to carefully measure their words. Their livelihoods, funding, and coordination depends on the little to no funding they receive from the gov't. And I quote from the scientists in your piece, a measured warning, "Karenia brevis, or red tide, is a marine organism that survives in a high-salinity environment. ... It can use at least 12 sources of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients, making bloom dynamics extremely complex and challenging to sort out." Now, I'll ask you a simple question that even you and your supporters can understand. What are 2 of the 3 key ingredients in fertilizer? Nitrogen and phosphorus, incidentally also the key ingredients in waste and runoff... Wake up people...!

Truth, what is your solution? Do you want to ban all homeowners & businesses from fertilizing their lawns? These problems have been around for hundreds of years. Please post any science that directly ties Scott’s policies to this problem. Instead of protesting & demanding Scott’s head, why don’t you propose a solution based on sound science?

Thank you for being the voice of reason Nancy. Actually---Red Tide was seen in the Gulf off the shores of Florida by Spanish Explorers as far back as the 1500s. Red Tide is a naturally occurring event.

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