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red tide canal cleanup

County contracting APTIM for canal cleanup

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

BRADENTON – Manatee County is contracting APTIM to remove the dead fish and marine life accumulating in residential canals and channels due to red tide.

The pending contractual arrangement was announced at a press conference on Friday afternoon and the decision disappointed some local fishermen who previously offered their assistance to the county.

County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said he would ask the County Commission to appropriate $500,000 when presenting the APTIM contract details on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Hunzeker said the county already does business with APTIM and Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker said later that APTIM provides design and engineering services for the county’s beach renourishment program. With offices in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Boca Raton, Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville, the Texas-based company also offers environmental and disaster recovery services.

The Aug. 17 press conference began with County Commissioner Steve Jonsson saying, “We’re going to do our best to alleviate some of the situations our citizens are experiencing.”

Hunzeker said the cleanup would occur in canals and channels on Anna Maria Island, the mainland and Longboat Key. He said the goal was to pick up the maximum amount of fish in the shortest amount of time.

“We don’t want to represent that we will get every fish in every canal and every waterway, but we’re trying to do the major cleanup. We have no idea how long this will last nor how long this contract will be in place,” Hunzeker said, noting the county budget includes contingency funds set aside for these types of unanticipated expenditures.

Serving as the county’s point person, Hunsicker said reconnaissance work conducted over the weekend would determine where the cleanup occurs.

Hunsicker said the cleanup would be done by hand, using boats and nets. “We’re not going to get every fish. And we’ll have to be patient because they are floating fish in the open waters. We’re not going to be able to remove the floating fish in our open bays, our rivers and the Gulf.”

Hunsicker said APTIM will clean mangrove shorelines because those shallow waters are difficult to access by boat.

Hunsicker said local fishermen could still be hired by those who desire a more thorough cleaning and Hunzeker noted that those who contract private fish removal services will not be reimbursed by the county.

Hunzeker was asked why the county didn’t contract local fishermen to clean the canals.

“We just don’t have time to deal with each individual fisherman to enter into each individual contract with 20, 30, 40, 50 fishermen that might be willing to help,” he said, also noting liability insurance and permitting requirements.

Fishermen disappointed

On Sunday, the county website still listed contact information for nine businesses or individuals offering fish removal services. Among them was Nathan Meschelle, president of the Cortez chapter of the Organized Fishermen of Florida (OFF).

“I’m not happy about the situation and there are many others that feel the same way. I am very curious to see how well of a job this outsource group does and what they actually cost us,” he said of the county’s decision.

Meschelle leases a boat from Adam Sears, who led a crew that assisted with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill cleanup efforts in 2010.

“We’re available, we worked on the oil spill, we’re insured,” Sears said, noting that OFF members are covered by the organization’s liability insurance. “We could have already had this done and cleaned. They’re basically saying we couldn’t do the job.”

When contacted, Jonsson said he would ask APTIM to consider using local fishermen if possible.

Coral Shores

During the press conference, Jonsson said dead fish were creating public health concerns in residential areas, including the Coral Shores community on Cortez Road.

“It’s critical to give these people some relief,” he said.

A visit to Coral Shores on Wednesday, Aug. 15, revealed three residential canals whose landward ends were filled with dead and rotting fish that created a nearly unbearable stench. That afternoon, resident Cynthia Saint Cacchiotti received from one individual listed at the county website a $6,000 bid to clean the three canals.

Cacchiotti’s husband, Rick, is president of the Coral Shores homeowners’ association and the bid she obtained was research for a potential association expenditure – a process that would require 10 days advance notice before a vote of members could occur. Instead, the Cacchiottis and some of their neighbors hired local fisherman Preston Rowland to begin cleaning their canal on Friday, before the APTIM contract was announced.

Coral Shores residents were scheduled to meet at the Cortez Baptist Church on Tuesday, Aug. 21, to discuss the ongoing cleanup efforts.

Manatee County also is now operating a Citizens Information Center that includes a hotline for citizens who have questions about red tide and the cleanup operations. The hotline number is 941-749-3547.

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Red tide update

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Red tide.

MANATEE COUNTY – Red tide continues to impact Anna Maria Island beaches and Manatee County waterways.

In water samples tested by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as of Friday, Aug. 24, red tide counts were:

  • High at Rod and Reel Pier
  • High at Palma Sola Bay bridge
  • High at Longboat Pass Boat ramp

Respiratory irritation was reported in Manatee County from Aug. 16-23 at Coquina Beach and Manatee Beach. During that week, Manatee County waters showed minimal change in red tide cell concentrations from the previous week.

Red tide FAQs

What is red tide?

A red tide is a higher-than-normal concentration of a microscopic alga (plantlike organism). In the Gulf of Mexico, it is Karenia brevis, often abbreviated as K. brevis. At high concentrations, the organisms may discolor the water, sometimes red, light or dark green, brown or the water may appear clear.

What causes red tide?

A red tide bloom develops when biology (the organisms), chemistry (natural or man-made nutrients for growth) and physics (tides, winds, currents) work to produce the algal bloom. No one factor causes the development of a red tide bloom.

Where can I check the status of red tide at my local beach?

Mote Marine Laboratory

Are red tides new?

No. Red tides were documented in the Gulf of Mexico as far back as the 1700s and along Florida’s Gulf Coast since the 1840s. While red tides and other algal blooms occur worldwide, K. brevis is found almost exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico but has been found on the east coast of Florida and off the coast of North Carolina.

How long does a red tide last?

Red tide blooms can last days, weeks or months, and can also change daily due to wind conditions and ocean currents.

Is it safe to swim in water affected by red tide?

While people swim in red tide, some individuals may experience skin irritation and burning eyes. If your skin is easily irritated, avoid red tide water. If you experience irritation, get out of the ocean and thoroughly wash off with fresh water.

Can red tide affect me when I am not on the beach?

People in coastal areas near the shoreline may experience varying degrees of eye, nose, and throat irritation. When a person leaves an area with red tide, symptoms usually go away. If symptoms persist, please seek medical attention.

Are there people who are more sensitive to the toxins caused by red tide?

People with respiratory problems (like asthma, emphysema or bronchitis) should avoid red tide areas, especially when winds are blowing on shore. If you go to the beach and have one of these conditions, you should be very cautious. If you have symptoms, leave the beach and seek air conditioning (A/C). If symptoms persist, please seek medical attention.

What can I do to lessen the effects of red tide?

People usually get relief from respiratory symptoms by being in air-conditioned spaces. This is also true when driving: keep your car windows up and the A/C or heat on. For people without asthma or any other chronic respiratory problems, over-the-counter antihistamines may relieve symptoms. People with chronic lung ailments should be especially vigilant about taking prescribed medications daily. Always seek medical care if your symptoms worsen.

Can red tide affect pets?

Just like people, pets may be affected by red tide. If you live close to the beach, consider bringing outdoor pets inside during a bloom to prevent respiratory irritation. If you are at the beach with your pets, do not allow them to play with dead fish or foam that may accumulate on the beach during or after a red tide. If your pet swims in the red tide, wash them off with fresh water as soon as possible.

Is seafood in the area safe to eat?

Clams and oysters (mollusks) can contain red tide toxins that cause Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning. Check local harvesting status before collecting at FreshFromFlorida.com. Finfish caught live and healthy can be eaten if filleted and rinsed thoroughly. Edible meat of crabs, shrimp and lobsters (shellfish) can be eaten (do not eat the tomalley—the green digestive gland—of shellfish). Do not eat distressed or animals found dead under any circumstances.

Source: Florida Department of Health

Aerial surveys from Pinellas to Charlotte counties, including Manatee, also indicated the presence of offshore blooms of the marine cyanobacterium, Trichodesmium, which is not dangerous to humans or animals.

According to Manatee County’s Friday, Aug. 24 red tide update, the county continues to rake the beaches along the Gulf coast of Anna Maria Island, including Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach, Bayfront Park in Anna Maria and Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach, to clean the beaches of fish and other sea life affected by the recent arrival of red tide. 

  • Beaches are open.
  • Coquina Bayside, Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach north to Bean Point are moderate/heavy with fish.
  • Bayfront Park has moderate fish.
  • Coquina North and South Boat Ramps have moderate/heavy fish.
  • Crews are currently running beach rakes up from Coquina Pass and down from Bean Point.
  • Air quality is moderate with occasional coughing and irritation. Water color is tan/brown in some areas and brownish/reddish in others.
  • The county has contracted with a vendor to clean local waterways, beginning with the most affected areas this week.
  • Red Tide signs are posted at affected beaches and will remain until the red tide bloom is over.

“Red tide blooms can last days, weeks, or months and can change daily due to wind conditions and water currents,” according to the county.

When contacted Friday afternoon, county surf rake operator Mark Taylor said, “The water is still reddish, brown and ugly looking. We’re still getting about the same level of (dead) fish each day as well. The occasional tarpon keeps coming up each day also.

“We are expecting a wind change over the weekend, coming more out of the east. Hopefully, it will push some of this back offshore,” Taylor said.

Sarasota County

According to the Sarasota County website, “All beaches are open, but there is a ‘No Swim’ advisory for four area beaches.”

Sarasota County Health Department officials have issued a red tide advisory for several Sarasota County beaches.

“Several beaches have been affected by red tide and high levels of enteric bacteria. ‘NO SWIM’ Advisory for Longboat Key, Lido Casino, Brohard, and Venice Fishing Pier,” the health department website says.

Want to help?

Manatee County is hiring temporary workers to help clean beaches during the red tide bloom for $12.50 an hour. Call Faraja at Ad-VANCE Talent Solutions for more information at 941-739-8883.

For daily red tide conditions updated at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. visit visitbeaches.org.

Manatee County is also operating a Red Tide Hotline at 941-749-3547 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days week.

Canal cleanup services

Manatee County has contracted a vendor to clean local waterways, including those on and around Anna Maria Island.

“Due to the small maneuvering space in the canals, the cleaning must be done with nets and boats by hand. Homeowners and associations may want to continue to work with local fisherman for a more thorough cleaning of any remaining fish,” the county website says. Included at the county website is a list of local fishermen and others who’ve offered to assist with cleaning. Manatee County has not vetted these services. This list is not an endorsement of these businesses.

Contact the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to report fish or marine life impacted by red tide.

 

– Cindy Lane contributed to this report

 

For more information, visit The Sun’s Red Tide Resources page.

Minnie's cafe staff

Minnie’s crew sings about red tide blues

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Business.

HOLMES BEACH ­– The outbreak of red tide has cut into the profits of almost every business on Anna Maria Island and some business owners are fighting back, offering discounts for their services. Some of the larger Island restaurants banded together to offer a “Save our Shores” buffet Sunday now one of the smaller eateries is fighting back with music. The goal is to not only let people know that Minnie’s Beach Cafe is open for business but to also let them know there’s more to the Island than just the beaches.

The staff got together to dance to the Blondie song “The Tide is High,” sung by cook Mary Doub. Most of the waitresses danced to the music. The group dubbed themselves The Minnie’s Reefers and the video has been viewed by many people, including Maggie Plath, who came in Friday with her husband, Jim, to compliment them and collect a 10 percent discount for mentioning it.

Kathy Smart said they rewrote the lyrics several times.

“We went through it three times before we were satisfied,” she said.

“I thought it was very good,” said Maggie Plath. “After seeing it yesterday, I told my husband we would have to go here for breakfast.”

Smart said they hope people are entertained and come in for a meal.

Minnie's cafe guests
Guests Maggie and Jim Plath peruse the menu options at Minnie’s Beach Cafe. – Tom Vaught | Sun

“It was a lot of fun to make,” she said, “and it was a morale booster.”

Minnie’s Beach Cafe is open daily for breakfast and lunch. It’s located at 5360 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach in the S&S Plaza. The restaurant’s hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The staff’s music video, introducing the stylings of The Minnie’s Reefers, can be viewed on the Minnie’s Facebook page. Check out the video and mention it to your server when dining in at Minnie’s for a 10 percent discount on your next visit.

Red Tide Bradenton Beach Anchorage

TDC votes to recommend more money for red tide cleanup

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA – Manatee County has been busy cleaning up the dead fish left by the current outbreak of red tide and the committee that is charged with bringing in tourism wants to make sure the county doesn’t run out of resources.

Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker gave a presentation Monday at the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) on how the county is handling the situation.

“Each day we clean the public parts of the beaches,” he said. “When the red tide came, we extended it to all the beaches.”

“When the dead fish came, it was a public health hazard and we went to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for advice and we took the dead fish to the county landfill,” he said. “We got the fish out of the water.”

Hunsicker said you won’t find that in any of the other counties that have been hit by red tide, including Sarasota.

“We follow a policy of recover, restore and rejuvenate,” he said.

Newly appointed TDC member Eric Cairns, who owns Cedar Cove, a beachfront resort, praised the county for its rapid response to the problem.

“I see it every day,” he said of the cleanup effort.

Elliott Falcione, Executive Director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, suggested the TDC vote to set aside up to $500,000 to continue the cleanup efforts and got a positive vote. He said he would write up a proposal to take to the Manatee County Board of Commissioners for approval at a September or October meeting.

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Mote working on ozone solution to red tide

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors, Red tide.

CITY ISLAND – There may be a breath of fresh air on the red tide-stained horizon.

Mote Marine Laboratory is testing ozone as a way to kill red tide algae and remove the toxins it produces from seawater.

Red tide, an algae bloom caused by the microscopic organism Karenia brevis, can cause respiratory irritation, especially in people with asthma or COPD, and can kill fish, marine mammals, sea turtles and shorebirds.

Red tide reached Anna Maria Island shores on Aug. 3, drifting north from Southwest Florida, where it has persisted since November 2017. The bloom affects six counties, from Collier north to Pinellas, including Manatee.

Aimed at restoring canals, like those in Coral Shores recently inundated with fish killed by red tide, the method pumps red tide water into an ozone conductor, where the ozone kills the red tide and re-oxygenates the water without releasing ozone into the environment, according to Mote Senior Scientist Dr. Richard Pierce.

Mote already uses a similar patented method to filter seawater from the Gulf pumped into Mote’s marine mammal and sea turtle hospital tanks and its aquarium.

Mote tested ozone in June in a 25,000-gallon saltwater pool. The results showed that, with one ozone system processing 150 gallons of water per minute, the red tide algae cells in the pool were wiped out rapidly and their toxins cleared in a day. Water quality was monitored, showing no ozone released, and other water chemistry changes returned to normal within a day.

The system is now being tested in a Boca Grande canal filled with dead fish, with two ozone systems working together to process 300 gallons of water per minute to filter out red tide algae cells and toxins. Water quality is being monitored for nutrients, temperature, dissolved oxygen and alkalinity, and suitability for sensitive marine invertebrate animals like shrimp.

While clay, copper, herbicides and other substances proven to kill red tide also kill marine life, ozone treatment does not, according to Mote.

The ozone method is not intended for large bodies of water, like the Gulf of Mexico, and is still in the research stage, according to Mote.

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Red tide resources

Beach raker Tide Raker Read

Beach raker to the rescue

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Beach, Outdoors.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Manatee County equipment operator Mark Taylor has played a crucial role in the red tide cleanup efforts taking place on the Island’s Gulfside beaches.

Using a tractor to pull a piece of equipment known as a Barber beach rake, Taylor’s recently been working seven days a week, up to 12 hours a day, removing dead fish and other marine life from the beaches.

Taylor has worked for the county for 18 years. His beach raking duties are usually limited to the public beaches, but those county-funded efforts were recently expanded to include the entire Gulfside shoreline after dead fish killed by red tide began washing ashore in early August.

“I’m typically the only beach rake operating. I have got a backup rig and we’ve got an operator in Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach (in Bradenton Beach) that’s been working down there,” Taylor said after his workday ended on Friday.

Pulled behind a tractor, the beach raker gathers up dead fish and seagrass and drops it into a hopper that’s later emptied into a dumpster or the front-end loader recently put into service.

“Basically, I’ve been taking care of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria. It’s a lot of beach to cover and sometimes you have to make multiple passes because the fish are too thick to make a single line. If they’re spread out you’ve got to make two or three or four passes to get them all. When you’ve got this many fish it’s more like damage control. Instead of trying to get the last one up and make it perfect, you’re trying to get 85-90 percent of them off the beach because it’s coming back with the next tide,” Taylor explained.

He said the heaviest concentration of dead fish has typically been between Longboat Pass in Bradenton Beach and the Martinique condominiums in Holmes Beach.

Taylor works in an enclosed cab, and he’s been wearing a facemask and a scarf over his face, but he still feels the burn of the red tide-tainted air.

“It burns my eyes through the day. When you’re out there 12 hours a day breathing that stuff it’s hard on you,” he said.

Taylor was asked if he’s seen red tide this bad before.

“I have. I’ve been here all my life,” the 68-year-old Cortez native and former commercial fisherman said.

Beach Raker Taylor
County employee Mark Taylor has been working seven days a week cleaning up the Island beaches impacted by red tide. – Mark Taylor | Submitted

As for what he’s seeing on the beaches, Taylor said, “We’ve gotten a turtle or two, some tarpon, a tremendous amount of snook, a few grouper and a few jewfish. Most of the volume is grunts, pinfish, catfish, horseshoe crabs and eels – the most eels I’ve ever seen.”

Taylor said he saw less dead fish on Saturday, but the air felt more toxic. He said he saw beached redfish for the first time and also a good-sized dead turtle.

Taylor said the dead fish were light on Sunday as he worked his way from Manatee Public Beach to Bean Point and back.

“Everything looks much better today,” he said that day.

Taylor said conditions were a little better overall Monday morning, but heavier in some places.

“Seems to be worse on the south end of the Island, back to the pass. Lots of horseshoe crabs today,” he said via text, noting that he hadn’t yet headed north.

Taylor said the beach cleanup continues to be a group effort.

“I’m just one of many out here. There are a lot of people in various departments working on this,” he said.

Efforts praised

County Commissioner and Holmes Beach resident Carol Whitmore shared her praise for Taylor and others.

“Mark has led the efforts to clean our beach parks. We can’t thank Mark and the county staff enough for working very long hours to keep up with the red tide fish kill. Carmine DeMilio (Parks Operation Manager) has stepped up and let Mark do what he does best,” Whitmore said.

Anna Maria Public Works Manager Dean Jones also praised Taylor.

“Mark has been working 12-13-hour days on the beaches. His family is one of the original families that settled Cortez. His roots run deep in this community, and he is one of the many stewards of the local environment. He is one of the nicest and kindest guys you will ever meet, and I am proud to know him,” Jones said.

Manatee County seal

Manatee County works to clean impacts from red tide

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

Manatee County Commissioners today discussed how the county can assist private homeowners to clear waterways, inlets and canals of sea life killed by the red tide outbreak.

Manatee County does not have a marine fleet to remove fish in smaller canals, and waterways, nor can county crews go onto private property to haul dead sea life to the landfill. So county leaders aim to connect local fisherman willing to assist with the homeowners who need their canals cleared.

Beginning tomorrow Manatee County will make roll off dumpsters available at Bayfront Park on Anna Maria Island and at three County-owed boat ramps: Coquina North, Coquina South and Kingfish boat ramps. Private homeowners can either haul dead fish and debris from red tide without having to pay county landfill tipping fees or they may contract with local fishermen willing to do the work.

Fishermen who want to contract their services with local homeowners or homeowner associations may provide their contact information to the County’s Citizen Action Center at 941-742-5800. The county will post those business names and numbers on the county’s red tide website, www.mymanatee.org/redtide. Private homeowners can check the site from time to time to get a current list of fishermen to do the job.

Commissioners and county staff also said they will work with state and federal leaders to obtain funding for other local impacts from this year’s outbreak.

Department directors from the county’s Property Management, Parks and Natural Resources and Public Safety departments all gave updates on the coordinated effort to keep public beaches and boat ramps clear of marine animals killed by red tide.

Those efforts include constant beach cleaning during daylight hours, relying on inmate labor from the Manatee and DeSoto sheriffs’ offices and hiring temporary work to help the cleanup effort, said Charlie Bishop, Property Management Director.

Emergency Management officials continue to monitor local conditions and to relay updates of the situation to municipal leaders on Anna Maria Island.

Commissioner Steve Jonsson noted that “economic distress is severe” for some marine businesses, and they should keep detailed records on any economic losses from the outbreak in case financial relief is available in the future. Commissioners recognize that local resources are stretched thin, but said they will look to state and federal leaders for ways to assist with cleaning local waterways and canals.

Yesterday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared Manatee County to be part of a group of seven Gulf Coast counties impacted by a state of emergency from red tide. Commissioners said they will work with Manatee County delegation members to ensure our community receives any eligible funding.

For more information on Manatee County Government, visit online at www.mymanatee.org or call 941-748-4501. You can also follow the county at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on Twitter, @ManateeGov.

hands along the water

Hundreds send positive message about the environment

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Red tide.

The Gulf of Mexico was churning up more dead sea life and caustic smell Sunday morning, the result of the latest red tide outbreak. But that didn’t stop about 500 people who turned out at Coquina Beach not to protest but to show support for Florida’s fragile environment by participating in the Hands Along the Water event.

“I could not sleep when red tide came because of the smell and knowing what it was doing to the sea creatures,” event organizer Elizabeth Shore said. “I learned about Hands Along the Water and wanted to hold an event on Anna Maria Island.”

Shore, who owns Bunny and the Pirate Bazaar on Cortez Road West, said she didn’t want to protest anything, just show positive support for the environment.

Shore is a fifth-generation native of Manatee County and the daughter of the late R.B. “Chips” Shore, former Clerk of the Circuit Court.

Hands along the water masks
Tracy Powers and Teri Lennon pause for a selfie before departing.
Teri Lennon | Submitted

Noxious stuff

Red tide is an algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. The toxin can kill sea life and seabirds that feed on them and sea turtles. The Island has had outbreaks in the past but not in such an abundance, according to long-time residents.

Hands Along the Water also shows support for ending the algae that fill rivers and canals around Lake Okeechobee in the southern part of Florida.

A group of visitors from southern Florida said they learned about Hands Along the Water from Facebook and are shocked at the way the green algae kills everything in the canals and rivers. They said they would support politicians who would want to protect the environment and improve the condition of Florida’s waterways and shores.

Manatee County seal

County praised for cleanup, but…

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – City officials on Anna Maria Island are praising Manatee County’s response to the red tide crisis, particularly in terms of cleaning up the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico shorelines.

County crews and others, including some volunteers, have been working seven days a week to keep the Island beaches as free of dead fish and marine life as possible.

Regarding the county response, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said Monday morning, “They really rose to the occasion and are doing a great job. I have been impressed not only with their promptness but their thoroughness and care as well. Our city owes them a debt of gratitude for ponying up when we needed them badly. Commissioner Carol Whitmore continues to play a pivotal part in coordinating the county efforts.”

On Sunday, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said, “I was out there this morning, and they were working like crazy. They’re doing a great job cleaning our beaches, and I can’t give them enough praise for what they’re doing.”

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “The county’s doing a wonderful job, working very diligently to pick up all the fish that have died and come ashore. Waste Pro is working hand-in-hand with the city, the county, code enforcement and public works to make sure that all the dumpsters are emptied as quickly as possible so there is no lingering smell. It’s been a team effort. Everybody’s pulled their weight and done a great job, and it’s much appreciated.”

County update

On Monday morning, Whitmore forwarded to the three Island mayors a 7:45 a.m. red tide update distributed by Parks Operation Manager Carmine DeMilio and Executive Assistant Marianne Lopata.

“Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach have light amounts of fish. Cortez Beach north to Bean Point has light amounts of fish. We are running one beach rake from Bean Point southward. We are running one beach rake from the Coquina Pass northward,” the update said.

“Bayfront Park is being cleaned by staff. Coquina North Boat Ramp is very light with fish and will be okay shortly. Coquina South Boat Ramp is very light with fish and will be okay shortly. Coquina Bayside is very light with fish and will be okay shortly. Air quality is okay but some minor irritation and coughing. Smell is okay in the county-maintained areas,” the update said.

County contributions

Elliott Falcione serves as executive director of the county-funded Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) that works in unison with the county’s Tourist Development Council (TDC).

“With the recommendation of the TDC, the Board of County Commissioners made the decision to use tourist dollars for this kind of situation,” Falcione said Monday morning.

A significant portion of the county’s resort tax revenues are generated on Anna Maria Island. Falcione encourages vacation rental companies and owners to work with impacted customers in a cooperative manner that encourages the repeat business that’s a staple of the county’s tourism industry.

He said the CVB is monitoring the red tide impacts on a daily basis and providing red tide information to the public at the county tourism website.

“The best thing we can do for our customers is to be totally honest with them. If there’s red tide, we’ll share that. If it’s modest, we’ll share that. If it’s bad, we’ll share that. And if it’s gone, we’ll share that. You have to share the news good and bad, and we urge people to share the good news when it comes,” Falcione said.

Whitmore, who serves as the TDC chair, said the red tide cleanup occurring at Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach, Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach and Bayfront Park in Anna Maria is being funded using state-restricted, county-controlled, TDC-recommended resort tax funds. She said the additional shoreline cleanup is being paid for using the county’s general fund.

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Red Tide Sunset

Governor declares state of emergency due to red tide

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Red tide.

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Rick Scott has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency due to impacts of red tide in Manatee County and six other counties.

Sarasota, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties also are included in Tuesday’s Executive Order 18-221.

“As Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area continues to feel the devastating impacts of red tide, we will continue taking an aggressive approach by using all available resources to help our local communities,” Scott said.

“I am issuing an emergency declaration to provide significant funding and resources to the communities experiencing red tide so we can combat its terrible impacts. This includes making additional FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) biologists and scientists available to assist in cleanup and animal rescue efforts, more than $100,000 for Mote Marine Laboratory and $500,000 for Visit Florida to establish an emergency grant program to help local communities continue to bring in the visitors that support so many Florida families and businesses.”

The executive order provides state funding to local governments and research agencies and allows for the rapid movement of resources to local communities in response to red tide impacts in Southwest Florida and the Tampa Bay area.

This includes more than $100,000 in additional funding to Mote, which will help the Sarasota-based organization to deploy additional scientists to assist local efforts to save animals affected by the naturally-occurring red tide, including manatees, dolphins and sea turtles.

Since 2011, Florida has invested more than $17.3 million through the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) in red tide research, including more than $5.5 million for a partnership with Mote to study the causes of red tide.

Scott’s order also directs an additional $900,000 in grants for Lee County for cleanup impacts related to red tide. Lee County will use this additional funding to enhance the county’s efforts to clean local waterways from impacts caused by red tide. This brings red tide grant funding for Lee County to more than $1.3 million.

Marketing and communications

Visit Florida has been directed to begin developing a marketing campaign to assist Southwest Florida communities that will start after this year’s red tide blooms end. Visit Florida also will create a $500,000 emergency grant program to assist local tourism development boards in counties affected by red tide. The Department of Economic Opportunity will provide business assistance, including interest free loans and an enhanced presence in Southwest Florida.

Sarasota County’s environmental staff and County Health Department (CHD) leadership has been in contact with city and county government and Visit Sarasota to coordinate messaging and provide template signage, website links and creative materials. The CHD also has worked with the county to post signs at every beach and provide rack cards to the county and Mote for distribution.

FWC remains available to local agencies and partners in affected areas, including area business and tourism groups in Southwest Florida. Any local agency or group that has any questions or concerns can contact Kelly Richmond from the FWC at 727-502-4784.

Fish removal

FWC has mobilized all available resources to mitigate red tide, and Executive Director Eric Sutton has waived rules through an executive order to expedite the removal of dead fish – regardless of applicable bag, size or possession limits or of season or area closures – from shoreline, inshore or nearshore areas in all seven counties included in the governor’s order.

FWC is operating the toll-free fish kill hotline. To report fish kills, call 800-636-0511 or submit a report online. These reports help FWC researchers track and better understand the impact of red tide in Florida.

Water monitoring

FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and Mote are working together to monitor Karenia brevis – the organism that creates the harmful algal blooms that multiply to higher-than-normal concentrations, known as red tide.

The Department of Environmental Protection also is continuing enhanced water monitoring and testing to give scientists the best possible data.

Red Tide Cortez Fishermen

Cortez fishermen assist with red tide cleanup

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Red tide.

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria called upon Cortez fishermen Nathan Meschelle and Michael Dolan to help remove dead fish that littered the city shoreline because of red tide.

Meschelle and Dolan spent Wednesday, Aug. 8 and Thursday, Aug. 9 removing dead fish and seagrass from the public beach near the now-demolished Anna Maria City Pier from the Lake La Vista Inlet southeast to Magnolia Avenue.

This mutually beneficial relationship sprang from a conversation Meschelle had with Island resident and Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore.

“Nate contacted me and asked how he could help so I called the local governments and told them they were available. It’s a private-public partnership and we’re helping some fishermen get some work right now,” Whitmore said.

“I reached out to Carol and told her that due to the conditions the fishermen are out of work and we would like to do what we can to help the community. At the same time, maybe the cities or county can help us get through these hard times,” Meschelle said.

Meschelle and Dolan arrived early Wednesday morning by boat aboard a custom Carolina skiff with a smaller flat skiff in tow. Using pitchforks, they tossed the natural debris into the smaller skiff and later transferred it to a dumpster to be hauled off by Waste Management. They were also asked to remove a section of temporary shoreline fencing installed to protect turtles during the recent pier demolition. The fencing was ensnaring dead fish and seagrass.

“We’re trying to get what we can cleaned off the beach. If we do get another bad push of fish we won’t have all this grass and it’ll be easier for us to clean up,” Meschelle said, while noting the possibility of a west wind bringing more dead fish ashore later in the week.

Meschelle and Dolan said they saw gag grouper, trout, grunts, eels and more on the beach, but they also saw signs of possible improvement.

“The water color’s better today. There’s baitfish along the beach too,” said Dolan, who was wearing a facemask and a protective sport hat that covered his head and neck.

Meschelle and Dolan are both members of the Organized Fishermen of Florida and Meschelle wore a hat bearing the organization’s logo.

“There’s anchovies and sheepshead on the rocks right here,” Meschelle said, pointing to the jetty.

“We thought it was complete wipeout, so this is a good sign,” Dolan added.

“I traditionally bait fish offshore and the bait fish are virtually non-existent. I think that’s where most of the red tide is lingering. I have friends that are still trying to bait fish and they’re having to fish off of Clearwater. Down this way, it’s just a dead zone as soon as you get out there a mile and half and up to six miles out,” Meschelle said.

“The offshore fisheries that include your grouper and snapper at 10 miles out  plus are still good. The fishery was amazing right before this happened,” Dolan noted.

Meschelle also contacted Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and offered their services and the services of additional Cortez fishermen should they be needed on the south end of the Island.

Cooperative efforts

Public Works Manager Dean Jones stopped by Wednesday morning to assess the work underway.

“There’s still fish out there that are going to keep floating up. I’m going to monitor the beach and when I think there’s another day’s worth of work they can come back and clean the beach again. It’s an ongoing thing and we’ve got a long-term plan that I feel very good about,” Jones said.

“I’ve also got to give kudos to the county. They helped clean up Bayfront Park and Mark Taylor has been running his tractor up and down the beach. As far as I know, he’s been going from Coquina Beach all the way to Bean Point. There’s been really good coordination between the cities and the county and there’s a lot of players making this work,” Jones said.

During Thursday night’s City Commission meeting, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy praised the cleanup efforts.

Red Tide Clean Beach
On Thursday evening, this stretch of bayside beach in Anna Maria contained few, if any, dead fish. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“Commissioner Carol Whitmore was coordinating cleanup efforts in her role as TDC (Tourist Development Council) chair. She made the suggestion that we find these Cortez fishermen who are out of work because of red tide. These guys really did a commendable job. They charged us $1,000, which I think is a more than reasonable rate,” Murphy said.

“It’s a symbiotic story: they needed work and we needed fish picked up. They had a boat and the equipment to do it and we didn’t have the workforce to do it. It really worked out nice,” Murphy said.

Red tide wedding

A return visit to the cleaned beach right after Thursday’s meeting resulted in an encounter with a couple from Louisville, Ky. who had just gotten married on the beach, joined by family members.

“I wanted to be barefoot in the sand,” said the new bride, Karen (Armstrong) Focht. “We scoured the beaches all week and decided on here.”

The newlyweds said the conditions that night were better than they were earlier in the week and the red tide did not delay their nuptials.

“This is the day we planned,” Don Focht said.

“Our grandchildren could come at this time and we needed them here,” Karen added.

Red Tide Wedding
This Thursday evening beach wedding party included, from left, Gary Carrasco, Anita Carrasco, the groom, Don Focht, the bride, Karen (Armstrong) Focht, Zoey Carrasco, Alex Carrasco and Stephanie Williams. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Lying on the sand nearby as sunset approached were Hannah Tredyew and Shanti Clawson from Colorado.

“We actually didn’t know about it until we got here last night. When we were checking out at Walgreen’s the lady told us to be careful about the red tide,” Tredyew said.

“We knew it was south of here, but I didn’t think it was here yet,” Clawson said.

Clawson said they started their day near the Bradenton Beach-Holmes Beach border.

“We went to watch the sunrise this morning and there was like five feet of dead fish going down the coastline. It was crazy. They had a huge dumpster that was labeled ‘fish only,’ ” she said.

“We didn’t think it was that bad, but people running the stores said, ‘Don’t go to the beach.’ I did have a strong histamine response this morning. I started feeling like I was having allergies and I usually don’t,” Tredyew said.

Red Tide Visitors
Colorado visitors Hannah Tredyew and Shanti Clawson enjoyed a clean beach Thursday evening. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

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Red tide reaches Anna Maria Island

Red tide bloom can affect your health

Turtles released despite red tide

Red tide bloom can affect your health

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Scratchy throats, itchy eyes and coughs persist with the continuing red tide that showed up on Friday, Aug. 3 in Anna Maria Island waters, thanks to winds and currents carrying the long-lasting bloom from Southwest Florida.

The Karenia brevis red tide organism is a type of algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and shorebirds that feed on affected fish, red tide also makes shellfish unfit to eat and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or other respiratory diseases. People with these conditions are advised by public health officials to stay away from the beach during red tide outbreaks.

One of the most frequent symptoms people experience during a Karenia brevis red tide is respiratory irritation. If you have ever visited a beach during a red tide, you may have experienced the “red tide tickle” which can include itchy throat and coughing. Brevetoxins, chemicals produced by Florida red tide, may also irritate pre-existing respiratory conditions including asthma. Persons with asthma are advised to bring their inhaler to the beach during a red tide or avoid the area until conditions improve. Some swimmers experience skin irritation and rashes after swimming in waters with a severe red tide. They have also reported eye irritation from the sea foam. In some red tides, dead fish wash ashore; during these conditions it is advised that beachgoers avoid swimming in water where dead fish are present. – Florida Department of Health

For months, Florida communities south of Anna Maria Island have been experiencing effects from red tide, which has persisted in the Gulf of Mexico since November 2017, impacting the commercial fishing industry and tourism-related businesses like vacation rentals, restaurants and fishing charters.

Toxins from the current bloom have caused large-scale fish kills and sickened or killed marine mammals, including manatees, an imperiled species, and at least one whale shark.

Studies on red tide have linked blooms to fertilizer runoff; fertilizer application is prohibited locally by law in summer months.

No effective method of eliminating red tide, a natural phenomenon, has been discovered, however, Mote Marine Laboratory is experimenting on several possibilities:

  • Ozonation to be used to destroy red tide algae and their toxins in limited areas of water such as canals and small embayments in Boca Grande.
  • “Living dock” structures covered with filter-feeding animals that remove red tide from limited areas of water such as canals and small embayments.
  • Concentrating naturally produced compounds from certain macro-algae (seaweeds) to be used to fight red tide blooms in the wild, considering that these compounds can kill red tide in the lab.
  • Use of algae in the Amoebophrya genus to serve as a natural control parasite for Karenia brevis red tide blooms.

Shellfish like clams, oysters, and coquinas that are harvested from areas with active red tides should not be eaten. These shellfish are filter feeders that can concentrate the toxins. Scallops can be consumed if only the scallop muscle is eaten. Scallop stew, using the whole animal including guts, should not be eaten. Seafood, also commonly called shellfish such as crabs, shrimp, and lobster can be eaten because they do not concentrate the toxin. – Florida Department of Health

Methods of predicting where red tide is and where it will go also are being developed.

  • The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides forecasts of potential respiratory irritation.
  • Mote is developing a new, improved version of its red tide detection instrument originally created more than a decade ago. The new Programmable Hyperspectral Seawater Scanner (PHYSS) detects red tide in seawater with higher resolution than ever before.
  • Mote research is currently developing hand-held sensors for local shellfish growers to use to document state and federal health agencies whether their cultivation waters and/or shellfish product contain red tide toxins. This would help to lessen the negative economic impact to these growers if there is red tide in the general vicinity but no toxin in their shellfish.
  • Mote’s smartphone app, CSIC (Citizen Science Information Collaboration), allows people along the Gulf of Mexico coast to report dead fish, respiratory irritation and discolored water: all potential impacts of red tide. With reports from beachgoers, the app helps to fill gaps in the existing beach monitoring programs and give the public a better idea of which beach to choose on a given day.
  • Mote scientists are exploring how to advance aerial monitoring of red tides using drones carrying hyperspectral cameras for finer-scale data collection than satellite images can provide. Unlike satellites, drones will be less impeded by cloud cover.

Updated information on red tide is available at:

More red tide information:

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Governor declares state of emergency for red tide

Turtles released despite red tide

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

Hatchling sea turtles that are disoriented and rescued will continue to be released into the Gulf of Mexico despite the red tide, under instructions from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Hatchlings were released on Coquina Beach on Monday evening pursuant to the determination that it was safe, according to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Director Suzi Fox.

“Many of you may wonder whether hatchlings are being impacted by the current red tide event,” the FWC’s Dr. Simona A. Ceriani, Research Scientist with the Marine Turtle Program, wrote Fox in an email.

“The FWC has never documented any apparent adverse effects of red tide on hatchling sea turtles. They are probably not affected because they quickly move offshore, then live at the surface of oceanic areas for at least several years. They likely do not spend much time in any areas with high concentrations of Karenia brevis (red tide) they may encounter because they are constantly moving (or being moved). Additionally, the primary route of lethal exposure to brevetoxin for sea turtles is through ingestion of food containing brevetoxin. Hatchling sea turtles subsist on internalized yolk for at least a week or so before they begin feeding. By the time they begin feeding, they are well away from nearshore areas where red tide blooms often persist. Hatchlings could be exposed to brevotoxin in aerosols and may experience some irritation to their respiratory tract but, at present, we do not have any indication that this causes mortality or noticeably affects behavior,” she wrote. “Please continue to release any stragglers or hatchlings recovered during disorientation as you would normally – do not transport them to other beaches to release.”

Turtle Watch also will continue staking new nests, an important safety measure to avoid heavy machinery operators cleaning up dead fish on the beach from accidentally crushing unmarked turtle nests.

Red Tide Bradenton Beach Anchorage

Red tide reaches Anna Maria Island

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Red tide.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The impacts of red tide are being felt up and down Anna Maria Island.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website describes red tide as an algae bloom that produces toxic or harmful effects for people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds.

Bradenton Beach

Bridge Tender Inn and Dockside Bar manager Shannon Dunnan said no one sat at their waterfront bar on Sunday because of all the dead fish that washed ashore along the bay side.

“It’s horrific, the most horrendous smell ever. You start gagging on the smell of fish. The storm last night drove them all out and the high tide brought them all back in,” Dunnan said Monday morning.

“We’ve got guys out there now putting up fencing so the dead fish don’t land on our shores,” Dunnan said.

Later in the day, she said the situation had improved.

Sherman Baldwin runs Paradise Boat Tours in Bradenton Beach and lives in Siesta Key.

“We’re 70 percent off our normal business. We would typically be really busy the last week before the kids go back to school,” Baldwin said.

“This morning it was brutal,” he said of the conditions near the Bridge Street Pier.

“Siesta Beach was eerie, there was nobody out there,” he added.

Red Tide Bridge Tender
On Sunday, Yolo Adventures owner Ryan Davis took this photo of the shoreline near the Bridge Tender Inn in Bradenton Beach. – Ryan Davis | Submitted

“I’m headed to Tallahassee Wednesday to try and find out what’s being done about this on a long-term basis. I’m going to try to get with some of the state representatives in the area. I’m going to Tallahassee even if I have to walk by myself with a sign in front of the State House,” Baldwin said.

Danny Canniff works at the Anna Maria Island Inn. He said they had five cancellations on Sunday due to red tide.

“I’m sure we’re going to get more,” he said.

City Commissioner Ralph Cole operates Coastal Watersports on the Gulf of Mexico and he said they had no rentals Sunday because of the red tide.

Cortez

In Cortez, Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker said the red tide was impacting business on that side of the bay too.

“We had no boat traffic Sunday, which is one of busier days. We’ve seen no dead fish in our canal and we haven’t noticed it out on the deck, but I think the news of red tide is scaring everybody away,” he said.

Holmes Beach

Holmes Beach Det. Sgt. Brian Hall issued a press release Monday afternoon on red tide.

“The red tide bloom has arrived on the beaches of Holmes Beach. The city has been working with Manatee County Public Works and Waste Pro to ensure that the beaches are cleaned and the red tide waste is disposed of properly and efficiently,”  he wrote.

Dumpsters for dead fish will be placed at 30th, 33rd, 36th, 46th, 67th and 71st street beach accesses. People are asked not to place red tide waste in garbage cans not designated for red tide waste because they won’t be emptied as quickly. The city also seeks volunteers to help clean the beaches. If interested, contact Code Enforcement at 941-708-5804 ext. 247 or 249. Masks, gloves and a trash grabber will be provided.

Anna Maria

Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said dead fish littered the beach Sunday from the Sandbar restaurant to the Rod & Reel Pier.

“Last night it was pretty bad, but then we had a storm come in and take a good portion of it. All of the sudden it just appeared yesterday in the afternoon. I got no warning, but the county jumped right on it. Today there’s people walking the beach, but not many,” Murphy said.

Sandbar owner Ed Chiles was in Montana when contacted Monday morning.

“Red tide is everybody’s worst nightmare when you get a bad outbreak. We’ve had red tide in background concentrations for a number of years off and on and we have been very lucky that we haven’t had dead fish and that heavy aerosol that makes you cough. When you get that, it’s detrimental to everything on the beaches,” he  said.

Manatee County

Monday morning, Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Nicholas Azzara sent email updates to county commissioners and others.

“Property Management and Parks and Natural Resources are taking the lead on cleaning Coquina, Bayfront and Manatee beaches of the fish and sea life killed by the recent arrival of red tide,” one email said.

Another said that due to the public health risks posed by red tide, daily beach cleaning activities that normally occur at the public beaches will be extended the length of the Island along the tide line.

Holmes Beach resident and charter captain Scott Moore was fishing near Terra Ceia in east Manatee County Monday morning.

“The water’s perfectly clear up here and we’re catching fish, and they’ve been catching fish 8 to 10 miles offshore no problem,” Moore said.

Moore believes the red tide entered through Longboat Pass on the south end of the Island.

“We had an east wind and it blew all the dead fish to the shoreline on the backside of the Island. If we had a west wind it would be all over the beaches,” he said.

“Do not eat any shellfish, clams or oysters. You can eat shrimp. And I wouldn’t swim in the water where there’s dead, decaying fish because there’s bacteria in the water,” he added.

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Red tide bloom can affect your health

Turtles released despite red tide