algae

Researchers call it "sea sawdust," and it has a friendly relationship with the organism that causes red tide.

Hurricane season is long gone, but Florida's waterways are still recovering. The powerful storms pushed millions of gallons of sewage and fertilizer into freshwater bodies ,causing outbreaks of blue-green algae, which can be toxic to humans and fish.

Winds from the north expected during a major cold front coming through Thursday should push the red tide offshore or back to the south, away from the beaches.

From Tampa Bay south to Ten Thousand Islands, the algae bloom is so prevalent, pungent and potentially poisonous that the authors of health advisories ignored the long-established practice of softening the language to avoid scaring away tourists.

Researchers say Hurricane Ian brought red tide, destroyed artificial reefs from as far away as 30 miles from the coast and could impact the state's fishing industry.

In the next few months, scientists will be monitoring the current, temperature and tropical storm activity, as these factors can shift red tide blooms.

Researchers will look to sediments for information on past blooms and what they can tell us about today's events.

Blue-green algae blooms can impact human health and ecosystems, including fish and other aquatic animals. Many types of blue-green algae can produce toxins.

One activist would like the Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force to analyze whether Florida's nutrient regulatory mechanisms are working, saying there could be something inherently wrong with them, or they're not being enforced by government agencies as designed.

Observing for long-term health effects of algae will take between five and 10 years of studying. And now, during the pandemic, a new question has come up.