Dead fish on the shoreline at Big Carlos Pass on the northern edge of Lovers Key State Park. Residents of Southwest Florida are reporting devastating toxic algae bloom stretching across several counties. Fish, sea turtles, pelicans, sharks, and even manatees are washing up dead, and many people are reporting respiratory problems. Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a State of Emergency, but his climate denial and anti-environmental policies are part of the problem.
Toxic algal blooms like this occur naturally, but they have grown in frequency and intensity in recent years. While the causes are subject to some debate, the likely culprits are a combination of factors: elevated water temperatures from climate change, increased nutrient load from Big Sugar, phosphate mines and other sources, and some bad decisions (new and old) by the Army Corps of Engineers.