04/14/06

Clear air: Busy beaches

Boaters, fisherman and residents alike are enjoying a vacation this year from a tiny organism that seemed to cripple so many facets of life last season.

Red tide, the naturally occurring microscopic algae Karenia brevis, forms only in the Gulf of Mexico and releases toxins deadly to fish, birds and marine mammals, and is harmful to humans.

Last year, it paralyzed much of Southwest Florida, as a bloom discovered in December 2004 plagued the waters from Tampa to Naples until it dissipated in November 2005.

Richard Pierce, senior scientist and director of Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Ecotoxicology, ranked last season's bloom among the area's top 10 worst red tide outbreaks ever.

What a difference a year makes.

"The impact here (without red tide) is certainly an improved quality of life," said Wayne Largent, a resident of Manasota Key.

People near the gulf no longer have to suffer with throat irritation, watery eyes and upper respiratory problems.

The gulf waters have been clear and free of fish kills. Dolphin sightings are up, residents said, and sea turtle strandings -- Mote reported 311 last year -- are seldom seen.

"Over and over and over people are saying, 'thank God,' " said Frank Chappell owner-broker of Gulf Realty and Associates. "They're so happy red tide is not around."

Cycles

While the red tide organism is always present in the gulf, Mote officials have reported no blooms this year. But water testing and monitoring continue.

Three days a month, scientists board boats and take water samples from Tampa to Naples. Many of the samples are taken 30 miles to 40 miles offshore.

Mote has also armed itself with a small group of data-collecting machines stationed in the gulf and area bays. The machines continually monitor the water's condition and presence of red tide and send the information back to a central command center.

"The problem is getting enough information on a frequent-enough basis," Pierce said. "We can't have our scientists on boats all the time."

Even though typical red tide season runs from late summer to early fall, Pierce said a bloom can erupt at any time. And because the bloom usually forms on the ocean floor, scientists often do not know of a bloom's presence until it is close to full force.

But Mote officials said they weren't surprised this year has been free of red tide so far.

"It seems like it goes in cycles, but I don't know if the scientists understand why it goes in cycles," said Nadine Slimak, a spokeswoman for Mote.

Elated

Aaron Sutcliffe, dock master at Stump Pass Marina, said boaters couldn't be happier with the water quality.

Rather than boating through fish kills, fisherman are catching large quantities of snook and redfish inshore and Spanish and king mackerel offshore.

It's a far cry from last year, when the "general consensus was 'how long is this going to last?' '" Sutcliffe said. "It would all be totally different if red tide was around."

Chappell echoed those thoughts.

He said that last year vacationers dished out thousands of dollars to visit the gulf coast, only to spend their days choking, or, in severe cases, visiting the hospital with respiratory problems.

Chappell said 10 to 12 of his clients vowed not to vacation again in Florida because of their experience with red tide last year.

This year's clients, however, are praising the water quality.

"They're just elated," Chappell said. "Now, just keep the hurricanes away."

By Gavin Off

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