ENC 2210.

704: Technical Writing

Instructor Ryan Cheng

April 27, 2022

The Effect of Red Tide on Tampa Bay’s Ecology and Economy

Amyn Adam

Dominic del Pino

Alyssa Kassos

Zach Koehler

Chen Xin Huang

Table of Contents

Informative Abstract........................................................................................................................1

Introduction..................................................................................................................................2-3

Problem/Need...............................................................................................................................4-7

Soultion.......................................................................................................................................8-10

Implementation.........................................................................................................................11-12

Call to Action.................................................................................................................................13

References................................................................................................................................14-17
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Informative Abstract

Red tide is a major threat currently affecting Florida’s ecosystems and estuaries, which

has ultimately led to several consequences: the death of thousands of aquatic lives and an

increasingly decimating tourism economy. This anomaly is caused by the dinoflagellate, Karenia

brevis. When marine life and humans are exposed to it in large quantities, interconnected effects

can be observed. Massive amounts of fish kills and increased hazardous environments cause a

chain reaction that drives down the tourism market of the local area.

One of the leading causes of red tide is the runoff of the excessive nutrients stemming

from Lake Okeechobee, which eventually spills into the coastal waters. This factor has been

amplified in recent years from the ongoing disruption of the lake’s natural flow, which

detrimentally stifles its original and more environmentally viable path south, into the Everglades.

A solution to end the red tide is to redirect the flow of Lake Okeechobee back into the

Everglades as it once did. By having a budget of around $500 million over the course of at least

10 years, we can minimize the impact that red tide has had on our ecosystems and economy. This

process would include the restructuring of farming practices through the area, upgrading water

treatments, and managing operations, which will save the state more money than it cost and

revive Florida’s tourism market.

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Introduction

Karenia brevis is a dinoflagellate algae species that affects the southern United States,

mostly occurring in the Gulf of Mexico. In high concentrations, the algae is known as red tide.

The algae species produces a neurotoxin that causes massive fish kills and destruction to marine

life (Pierce & Henry, 2008). The massive number of fish kills leads to a massive environmental

impact, causing marine populations to die off and an economic impact on tourism levels

throughout the southern United States.

As marine populations die, a reduced number of tourists will come to experience what

our waters have to offer and cause many local businesses, like Charter captains, to lose business.

In just 2018, the tourism industry lost out on more than $184 million in revenue (WTSP, 2021).

The problem of red tide within the Tampa Bay area impacts many aspects of daily life. The

environmental impact of red tide in the Tampa Bay area causes a significant amount of death of

local marine life. In less than two months in 2021, more than 3,650,000 pounds of dead fish and

debris have been removed along St. Pete beaches (Parker, 2021).

The purpose of this report is to bring awareness to the ongoing problem of red tide in our

Tampa Bay community and enlighten others about possible solutions to the issue. Since red tide

has such a negative impact on the environment and economy it is dire that we do something

about it. By implementing a strategic and long-term solution over many years, the presence of
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red tide and its negative consequences can be drastically reduced and eventually eliminated. To

do this, the overall goal is to clean and redirect the flow of Lake Okeechobee’s waterway on its

original southern path into the Everglades. This can be accomplished through altering farming

operations and practices, executing treatment plans, and removal of man-made structures.
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Problem/Need

Red tide is caused by an overgrowth of algal blooms that occur along the Florida

coastline. This algae is a dinoflagellate named Karenia brevis (K. brevis) which can be

commonly found in the Gulf of Mexico (Pinellas County, Florida, Environmental Management -

Red Tide, n.d.).When this organism appears in a high enough concentration it changes the color

of the water to a reddish or pink color, hence the name “red tide”.

Red tide mainly occurs during Florida’s summer months, typically ranging from June

through August, due to the increased rainfall that the state experiences. The surge in rainfall

causes flooding through the southern part of the state,

especially along lake Okeechobee, which in turn causes

an influx of nutrients into several waterways. Several

factors can serve as promoters that may increase the

severity of red tide such as runoff, air pollution, and

toxic chemicals (START, 2022).

Red tide organisms may produce a toxin that can be hazardous to fish and other marine

life. During a red tide outbreak, many dead fish or other marine-based life can wash up on shore

if they have been in contact with the toxin. Humans can also be impacted by this algal bloom if

they ingest one of these contaminated fish or animals, causing extreme illness. In addition, K.
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brevis produces an airborne toxin, and when exposed to these toxins via air, water, or ingestion,

one may experience serious symptoms like respiratory distress, skin irritation, or the burning of

eyes (Vermes, 2019). Outbreaks of red tide are very common in the Gulf of Mexico and have the

strong potential to kill thousands of fish off along the coast (Olmos, 2021).

During large outbreaks, red tide can travel and spread to other areas. In 2021, it was

found that the algae spread into the panhandle near Panama City, and originally came from the

Southwest region of Florida and further traveled through the Tampa Bay area (Meszaros, 2021).

With Tampa Bay being located on the Gulf of Mexico, the annual bloom of red tide can easily

spread and affect this community.

The visual above shows historical and concurrent bloom severity levels for each calendar

year from 1953 to 2019 (NCCOS, 2022).

The information displayed shows that there is a tendency for algal blooms to start in

August and end in October/November. Severe algal blooms were experienced in 1995, 2003,

2005, 2006, 2012, 2013. In more recent years, the concentrations have become significantly

more severe (NCCOS, 2022).

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Some of the most common factors that can serve as nutrients for red tide are pollution,

salinity of the water, chemical presences, and runoff. When combined, these circumstances can

fuel the algae for extended periods of time. High levels of salinity within the water may aid in

intensifying the bloom, as Karina Brevis cannot tolerate lower levels of salinity. When the Bay

suffers long droughts, the salinity also increases.

In a chemical sense, the growth of Karenia Brevis is promoted by substances like

phosphorus released by fertilizer applied by farms in the Kissimmee River Basin. The basin

forms the start of the Everglades, further drains into Lake Okeechobee, and accesses the coastal

regions through canals and rivers. In terms of runoff, intense storms (which are quite frequent in

Florida) cause a bulk of the undesired water to be shifted to Tampa Bay’s shores (START, 2022).

The Gulf of Mexico has two-thirds of all U.S. rivers draining into it, bringing water filled

with fertilizers, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other key ingredients for red tide growth (Riley et al.,

2019). One of the main rivers responsible for this runoff is the Caloosahatchee River, which

originates from Lake Okeechobee, and drains into the Gulf of Mexico polluting coastal water by

filling it with nutrients that are responsible for red tide. Runoff can also be generated from

mad-made facilities, such as sewage treatment plants that dump water containing prime nutrients

for the algae (START, 2022).

As a result of the mentioned effects, the devastation of red tide has spilled over to

Tampa’s environment and economy. When the high concentrations of algae hits the coast, the

loss of wildlife is monumental. In 2021, Pinellas county removed over 600 tons of dead fish

while St. Pete collected over 800 tons (Teh, 2021). These large numbers of dead marine life not

only hurt the region’s ecosystems, but also pressures the state to pay large sums of financial
 7
resources to maintain healthy conditions. The more dead sea life accumulates, the more it costs

the state to clear the areas. In St. Pete alone, local officials spent $700,000 on a 150-person

clean-up crew just to rid the area of dead fish (Teh, 2021).

In addition to this, red tide has a great impact on tourism and the revenue it brings in.

Businesses that rely on tourism lose millions of dollars due to the airborne and waterborne toxins

and the fish that wash up on shore (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, n.d.).

Other activities and businesses have been impacted by previous blooms, in 2018 Charter

operations sales have decreased by 61% and the tourism industry lost more than $184 million in

revenue (Quintana, 2021). Red tide has swept the experiences of locals and visitors by the feet,

and has left them with a damaged remnant of what once was.

One of the main impacted populations are local businesses who depend on tourism and

marine life. Businesses who strive to bring in tourists for basic profits suffer when there is a

circumstance that lessens the levels of activity. When red tide is in higher numbers, it is less

likely tourists will risk their health status.

Around the bay area, there are many places to go to and make lasting experiences:

beaches, kayaking spots, fishing locations, and more. All of these would be greatly affected by

future red tide outbreaks. In 2018 at the height of the red tide, charter companies saw a decrease

in 61 percent of sales (Quintana, 2021). A dwindling in revenue can be incredibly challenging

for local businesses, especially those of the smaller variety. A solution to Karenia Brevis in and

around the coast can greatly improve Tampa Bay’s profits and economy. By containing, or more

ideally, eliminating future outbreaks would significantly lower the risk of losing profits,

environmental areas, and the lives of many marine animals.

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Solution

One of the ways to take action and minimize the red

tide epidemic is to redirect the flows of these bodies of water

that provide nutrients to fuel red tide (Figure 1).

A potential effective long-term solution that can be

implemented to combat red tide would be to prevent further

contamination of water and reinstate the natural flow of Lake

Okeechobee. The current flow of Lake Okeechobee water has

been flowing east and west (Figure 2). This flow can be further

redirected to avoid providing polluted water for algal blooms in

the Gulf of Mexico and other estuaries. The first step to fulfill

this goal is to cleanse the lake of the nutritional waste.

Implementing improvements to several processes such

as farming practices, waste dumping, controlling the types of

contamination that could contaminate these bodies of water

could avoid providing nutrients for algal blooms.

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The visual above exemplifies proposed perquisites for restoring the flow of the Everglades from

Lake Okeechobee (Estenoz, n.d.)

For the redirection process, Lake Okeechobee and its connecting channels require a southern

flow pattern. The redirection procedure would ultimately redirect the water to reach appropriate

areas, such as the Everglades.

The redirection of this clean water to other locations could redirect the surplus of nutrients

to life in those areas that need it (Figure 3). This could serve as a benefit to these areas and

rehydrate these ecosystemes. This measure would also eradicate the prevalence of red tide in the

Tampa Bay area by minimizing the occurrence of blooms from around every year to a few times
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every 20-30 years. This investment will continue to save the state money, appease the public, and

prevent economic distress. Quality is the characteristics and unique attributes that something

possesses that influence its overall ability to fulfill. This plan satisfies this as it dedicates itself to

quality by making a lasting impact, affecting the generations that come after us to also enjoy the

waters that we have without the fear of deadly toxins. Sustainability is the general ability to stay

at a certain level or maintain a sense of ultimate balance.

Redirecting the flow would reinstate and keep this sense

of balance. On top of that, Florida’s ecosystems will not

only return back to its original state, But they will be

sustained by a continued monitoring of the cleaned

waters. Lastly, cost is the price (money, time, etc.) that is

needed to gain something. This criteria is achieved as

there will no longer be a need to clean up the

repercussions of the algae’s presence after spending the

resources to finally demolish its current havoc.

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Implementation

Proposed Schedule
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Budget

Based on the plans for implementation, our endeavors would require at least $500-700

million. The bulk of the cost would originate from facility upgrading, changing farming policies,

and providing the necessary resources to involved organizations. This cost is also adjusted to fit a

time period of 10 consecutive years, all of which would need some funding to maintain smooth

conduct.

Personnel Assignment of Redirection Efforts

At the beginning portion of the redirection project, the main contributors will consist of

the FDACS (Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services) and the EPA

(Environmental Protection Agency) due to the focus of clean farming practices and the

incentives for participation in green farming practice. In another key portion in the 1st step of the

redirection efforts, the EPA and FWC (Florida Wildlife Conservation Agency) to monitor water

quality around the coastal waters and within Lake Okeechobee itself. After these steps have been

completed, the redirection effort will then move to step two where infrastructure must be

adapted. FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) and a private construction company will

then prepare the areas projected for the new water flow for the flow redirection. This will include

upgrading runoff control operations, removal of man-made obstructions, and building key

bridges. While this project will take many years to finish, it will require the combined efforts of

all agencies involved to manage and oversee the completion to ensure the redirection occurs

safely and efficiently.

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Call to Action

Through the support of a senator, the recommendations listed in this report can be

implemented and the Tampa Bay area will be able to witness numerous benefits through the

decrease of the high algal blooms concentrations in future years. The environmental benefits of

pausing the destruction of our ecosystems and estuaries will restore the beautiful waters that flow

through the Coastal region.

These benefits are not only limited to an environmental standpoint, but our economy will

also benefit as well. A return of tourism to our area and local businesses will once again profit

and flourish. With larger populations of fish returning to the waters, more people will want to

enjoy the same benefits we do on a normal day being on our waters and positively affect Tampa

Bay. The issue of red tide affects many communities; by addressing the issue where possible, fish

death and other community and environmental effects can be mitigated.

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References

Azhar, A. (2022). Florida's red tides are getting worse and may be hard to control because of

climate change. Inside Climate News. Retrieved from

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19012022/florida-red-tide-climate-change-desantis/.

Captains For Clean Water. (2021). Our fight. Retrieved from

https://captainsforcleanwater.org/our-fight/

Civil Eats. (2019). Toxic red tide is back in Florida. is big sugar to blame? Retrieved from

https://civileats.com/2019/06/25/toxic-red-tide-is-back-in-florida-is-big-sugar-to-blame/

Estenoz , S. (n.d.). Mitigating Historic Water Management Changes in the Greater Everglades

Ecosystem. South Florida; Department of the Interior.

Everglades Trust. (n.d.). Fix the water. Everglades Trust. Retrieved from

https://www.evergladestrust.org/solution_2

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (2019). About Red Tides in Florida. Florida

Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission. Retrieved from

https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/general/about/
 15

Kettle, S. (2021). Rapid test of red tide mitigation strategy deployed in Sarasota: News & press.

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. Retrieved from

https://mote.org/news/article/rapid-test-of-red-tide-mitigation-strategy-deployed-in-saraso

ta#:~:text=Florida%20red%20tides%20are%20caused,combine%20with%20red%20tid

%20cells.

Martin, K. (2021). Scientists work to ensure solutions to red tide don't cause more harm than

good: University of Central Florida News. University of Central Florida News | UCF

Today. Retrieved from

https://www.ucf.edu/news/scientists-work-to-ensure-solutions-to-red-tide-dont-cause-mor

e-harm-than-good/

Olmos, S. (2021, July 21). Red Tide is nothing new to Tampa Bay, so why is this year's bloom so

bad? WFTS. Retrieved from

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/in-depth/red-tide-is-nothing-new-to-tampa-bay-so-w

hy-is-this-years-bloom-so-bad

Parker, M. (2021). Red tide by the numbers: 3.65 million pounds of dead fish, $2.1 million in

expenditures so far. St Pete Catalyst. Retrieved from https://stpetecatalyst.com/red-tide-

by-the-numbers-3-65-million-pounds-of-dead-fish-2-1-million-in-expenditures-so-far/#:~

:text=Thrive-,Red%20tide%20by%20the%20numbers%3A%203.65%20million%20poun

ds%20of%20dead,million%20in%20expenditures%20so%20far&text=Pinellas%20Count

y%20Commissioners%20were%20taken,the%20number%20continues%20to%20climb.
 16

Pierce, R. H., & Henry, M. S. (2008). Harmful algal toxins of the Florida red tide (Karenia

brevis): Natural chemical stressors in South Florida Coastal Ecosystems. Ecotoxicology,

17(7), 623–631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-008-0241-x

Pinellas County. (n.d.). Red Tide. Pinellas County, Florida, Environmental Management - Red

Tide. Retrieved from https://www.pinellascounty.org/environmental/red-tide.htm

Ramos, A. R. (2018). As Florida's toxic red tide stretches on, residents report health problems.

NBCNews.com. Retrieved from

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-s-toxic-red-tide-stretches-residents-report

-health-problems-n905336

Reid, A., Uraizee, I., & Zhu, Y. (2018). A draining problem: Lake Okeechobee's impact on the

Florida Coast. A Draining Problem. Retrieved from

http://interactive.sun-sentinel.com/lake-okeechobee-flooding/

Smithsonian Institution. (2018,). Red Tide. Smithsonian Ocean. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from

https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plants-algae/red-tide

START. (2022). Red tide. Retrieved from https://start1.org/red-tide/

Stump, R. (2022). Historical data used to analyze red tide bloom dynamics in Southwest Florida.

NCCOS Coastal Science Website. Retrieved from

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/historical-data-used-to-analyze-red-tide-bloom-dyna

mics-in-southwest-florida/
 17

Teh, C. (2021). Thousands of dead fish have washed up on Florida's beaches - and officials say

to expect even more unless a state of emergency is declared. Insider. Retrieved from

https://www.insider.com/hundreds-of-tons-dead-fish-washed-up-on-floridas-shores-2021-7

#:~:text=Counties%20across%20Florida%20have%20been,dead%20fish%20since%20July

%201.https://www.insider.com/hundreds-of-tons-dead-fish-washed-up-on-floridas-shores-2

021-7#:~:text=Counties%20across%20Florida%20have%20been,dead%20fish%20since%

20July%201

Vermes, K. (2019). Is red tide harmful to humans? what to know. Healthline. Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health/is-red-tide-harmful-to-humans

WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7 | By Jessica Meszaros. (2021). Red Tide is continuing to

thrive up and down Florida's Gulf Coast. WUSF Public Media. Retrieved from

https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/environment/2021-10-22/red-tide-is-continuing-to-thrive-up

-and-down-floridas-gulf-coast

WTSP. (2021). Study: Florida Tourism Industry lost out on more than $184 million after 2018

Red tide outbreak. wtsp.com. Retrieved from

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/red-tide/florida-tourism-2018-red-tide/67-61b274b7-

b272-4386-aba2-908c3aa8c527#:~:text=RELATED%3A%20UF%20researchers%20stud

y%20if%20flies%20carry%20red%20tid