THE WORST RED TIDE IN RECENT MEMORY CONTINUES TO DEVASTATE
THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COAST.
IT IS DECIMATING MARINE LIFE; THOUSANDS OF DEAD FISH AND
HUNDREDS OF SEA TURTLES HAVE WASHED UP ON LOCAL BEACHES.
EVEN A WHALE SHARK WAS FOUND DEAD ON THE SHORE.
BUT IT'S NOT ONLY MARINE LIFE THAT'S BEING THREATENED-- HEALTH
WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR RESIDENTS, TOO.
EARLIER I SPOKE WITH FORT MYERS NEWS PRESS ENVIRONMENTAL
REPORTER CHAD GILLIS VIA SKYPE TO GET THE LATEST ON THIS RED
TIDE BLOOM.
CHAD, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT RED TIDE, WHERE THINGS STAND.
IS IT GETTING WORSE?
IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THE COUNCIL ON THE SHORE AND THE COAST HAVE BEEN A MILLION CELLS
BER LITER AND HIGHER IN THE -- PER LITER AND HIGHER IN THE LAST
FEW DAYS.
AT WHAT LEVELS DO WE SEE ISSUE.
AT 10,000 CELLS PER LITER WE SEE RESPIRATORY ISSUES IN
HUMANS.
WAY ABOVE THAT MARK.
A MILLION CELLS PER LITER IS WHERE THEY STOP MEASURING.
ANYTHING ABOVE THAT IS JUST CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, KIND OF
LIFELESS SITUATION.
WE WERE TALKING EARLIER CHAD AND YOU WERE SAYING A LOT OF
PEOPLE SEEING REALLY HARD BREAK IMAGES.
FISHERMEN ESPECIALLY.
THEY ARE SEEING A LOT OF THINGS ON THE WATER, SEA TURTLES
THAT CAN'T DIVE, CAN'T GO ABOVE, CAN'T EVADE PRET TORS.
SAW ONE SEA TURTLE THAT HAD HIS FINS EATEN OFF BY SHARKS.
THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MAN -- MA'AM MALL CATASTROPHE AND SEA
TURTLE AND CREATURES WASHING UP ALONG THE SHORE LINE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TREMENDOUS NUMBER HERE.
HOW ARE THEY CLEANING UP?
WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH ALL THE DEAD FISH AND TURTLES AND MARINE
LIFE?
THEY ARE USING FRONT LOADERS ALMOST LIKE BULLDOZERS TO SCOOP
UP THE FISH AND PUTTING THEM INTO TRACTOR TRAILERS AND
DELIVERING THEM OFFSITE FOR MOST PART.
SOME ARE BURIED ONSITE, SEA TURTLES ABOUT 300 £THEY ARE
BURIED AT THE BEACH, THE MANY WHALE SHARK WAS BURIED AS WELL.
FTC.
FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
BUSINESS RNZ OUT THERE.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
THEY'VE GOT TO BE HURTING.
THEY ARE HURTING AND IT EXTENDS TO PRETTY MUCH EVERY
PART OF OUR ECONOMY BECAUSE WE ALL RELY ON TOURISM AND PEOPLE
VISITING.
EVEN PEOPLE VISITING FROM WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
IN THE SUMMERTIME WE HAVE FLORIDIAN FROM THE OTHER PART OF
THE STATE TO COME HERE TO ENJOY OUR AREA.
SO IT EXTENDS INTO FISHING GUIDES, IT EXTENDS INTO HOTELS,
AND FLEA MARKET SEAMSMAN WHO LIVES 20 MILES FROM THE COAST
AND HE SAID IT WAS IMPACTING HIS BUSINESS AS WELL.
NOW ONE THING YOU SAID YOU WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT
YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY IT CAN AFFECT YOUR
RESPIRATORY ISSUES, ESPECIALLY ASTHMA AND THOSE SORT OF THINGS.
BUT YOU WANTED TO CLARIFY HOW DANGEROUS THIS MIGHT BE.
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT?
WELL, IT'S NOT GOING TO HURTS YOU IF YOU TUSH IT.
CAN YOU GO TO THE BEACH AND STICK YOUR HAND IN THE WATER AND
IT'S NOT GOING TO DAMAGE YOUR HAND AT THAT MOMENT.
AS LONG AS YOU DON'T HAVE CUTS OR ANY OPEN SKIN ON THAT AREA.
WHAT YOU ARE REALLY LOOKING AT IS BREATHING IRRITATION AND
PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA AND OTHERS DIFFICULTIES THAT ARE EXISTING
HAVE A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TIME.
SO YOU REALLY WANT TO WATCH OUT FOR YOUNG FOLKS AND THE ELDERLY
AS WELL BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN INCREASED CHANCE OF HAVING THOSE
SYMPTOMS AND IRRITATION HE.
BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR THIS ISN'T JUST AFFECTING PEOPLE THAT
ARE ACTUALLY ON THE BEACH RIGHT?
YOU SAY THE WINDS CAN CARRY THIS.
THE WINDS CAN CARRY IT SEVERAL MILES INSHORE.
I TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE NOT ON THE BEACH BUT SEVERAL BLOCKS
AWAY FROM IT.
THEY HAVE THE SNIFFLES AND THEY'RE SEEING, THEY'RE KIND OF
SHOWING SIGNS OF MAYBE ALLERGIES OR A COLD.
SO IT DOES BLOW INSHORE OFF OF THE BEACH WHEN THE WINDS ARE
COMING OUT OF THE WEST.
THIS IS LOOK LIKE IT'S GOING TO BECOME A CAMPAIGN ISSUE.
WE KNOW THAT GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, SENATOR NELSON THEY HAVE
ADDRESSED THERE ISSUE.
DO YOU EXPECT THIS TO STILL BE A TOPIC FOR POLITICIANS?
I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE A LOT OF UPSET BRINGS OWNERS OUT THERE
WHO ARE LOSING A LOT OF MONEY.
VOTERS ARE GOING TO GO TO THE POLLS THIS FAWRL, WANT TO SEE
SOMETHING TAKE PLACE.
THE TIMING SHOULD EXTEND THROUGH ELECTION, IF WE DON'T GET ANY
COLD WEATHER SO IT COULD BE A HOT TOPIC, A HOT BUTTON ISSUE
FOR MANY TIME TO COME.
CHAD GILLIS WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORTING, LOOK FORWARD
SEEING MORE OF THAT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.