Environmental protection advocates in Florida They call the ruler, Ron DesantisTo declare a state of emergency as a “red islands” student who flourishes off the southwestern coast of the state Threaten Popular tourist beaches are blamed on the death of wildlife, including fish and dolphins.
Several provinces issued health alerts in response to the outbreak of fascism, which scientists in the Gulf of Mexico say last year when hurricanes and Milton torn the nutrients rich in algae.
A committee to save fish and wildlife in Florida (FWC) is greatly monitored Red tide correctionA natural phenomenon that occurs due to excessive production of harmful algae Carnia PervisAlong the extension of the Gulf coast. I washed dead fish on several beaches, and the disease is suspected The death of two dolphins I was found abroad in Coller County.
Red islands can cause skin irritation and respiratory system in humans and animals, and it has become increasingly common in recent years, partly due to a mixture of changing environmental conditions, including high ocean temperatures and pollution. In many cases, they are dissipated by January, but in other years they can remain and get worse, such as the outbreak of the 2021 summer that left piles of fish, turtles, dolphins and drink rot On the coastal line in Florida.
Conservation groups say that it is not done enough to address the cause of the problem, although they revive efforts such as the reactivation of Desantis to A. Red Work Squad In 2019, its signing of the draft law of the house last year extends Financing To search.
“While providing money for engineering solutions, the government has not done a very good job in controlling or repairing the contaminated waterways,” said Eric Milbrandt, director of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation (SCCF).
The group has previously linked human activity, including toxic flow of agricultural production, as it is Tight worker In intensifying the red tide events.
“We have a lot of them in case FloridaIt is a pollution of a non -point, so it is difficult to address. “It is great for the state to invest in engineering technology, and it has a promise, but it is likely to be limited to smaller flowers,” said Milbrante.
“From the perspective of response, it must be a kind of response to emergency management such as Hurricane. At this stage, the Ministry of Health depends to publish it, and the Institute of Wildlife Research in Florida to collect samples, and by the time when it affects society, there may be millions of dollars In revenues and tourism [at risk].
“We just want something here. The approach will be at the state level, like an emergency management approach, useful.”
FWC researchers, in partnership with scientists from the MOTE Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection in Florida (DEP), shared the responsibility for eliminating the tide, and reference to the improvements made under the monitor of Desantis.
“FWC has increased routine samples, added new measurements, and plans to conduct a survey to respond to the event with a cooperative team. We have. Improved communication toolsLike creating a series of educational Red animated videos tideJonathan Fitch, FWC spokesman, said in a statement.
“FWC works with partners to produce intensity standards based on the range of flowers and duration. Our agent is not the entity that will issue an official announcement.”
“Until now, with recognition of the current condensation, this tide is still somewhat typical in terms of timing, intensity and location,” Veach added.
A DEP spokesman said that the administration employees have been working closely with FWC and the Ministry of Health workers to involve the owners of local stakeholders and governments in the southwest of Florida since the first red islands appeared in October.
“Florida is still committed to a large -scale comprehensive approach and continues to monitor flowers, while remaining ready to help the affected provinces,” said Alexandra Kochta, Director of Communications.
“The allocated financing is available to support local communities in the response efforts and red islands, including assistance to this event if necessary, although none of them has been requested yet. For the fiscal year 2024-25, $ 5 million has been allocated, with a proposal An additional $ 5 million for 2025-26.
Kochta added that Desantis also agreed to finance Innovative techniques This can be published immediately to protect the quality of water and public health from the future algae flowers, including the response of the red tide. “
Mother The Guardian Representative told the southwest of Florida Bloom, giving researchers a first opportunity for “”Field test“Many mitigation techniques on active flowering flowers are insecure.
We have made a lot of progress in understanding a laboratory copy of this type. “The wild type, if it is permissible to speak, this in the ocean can behave in ways that you cannot repeat in the test tube,” said Milbrante of SCCF.
Meanwhile, a page on the Federal Environmental Protection Agency website It is still online as of Tuesday She blamed the climatic emergency, especially the Ocean, in the burning ocean, in the most toxic and recurring algae flowers such as those that threaten the coast of the Gulf of Florida.
“With climate change, harmful algae flowers can often occur in fresh or marine water bodies, and they can be more intense,” she says.
To date, at least, it seems that the page has survived from the Trump administration Climate the maximum cleansing of the climate crisis On government sites. Florida already has a law Reminds of cleaning “climate change“From the legislation of the state, the climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, Michael Man, said Desantis and Florida,” they were in fact the test bed “for similar control at the federal level.
“Nothing surprises me at this stage, including the efforts made by the administration and pollutants who manage it to prohibit all references to climate change by management agencies,” he said.
Desantis office did not respond to a request for comment from The Guardian.
