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Toxic Algae Plagues Southwest Florida, Killing Fish And Crippling Seaside Businesses

Published August 16, 2018 at 11:06 AM CDT
A fish is seen washed ashore after dying in a red tide on Aug. 1, 2018 in Captiva, Fla. Red tide season usually lasts from October to around February, but the current red tide has stayed along the coast for around 10 months, killing massive amounts of fish as well as sea turtles, manatees and a whale shark swimming in the area. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
A fish is seen washed ashore after dying in a red tide on Aug. 1, 2018 in Captiva, Fla. Red tide season usually lasts from October to around February, but the current red tide has stayed along the coast for around 10 months, killing massive amounts of fish as well as sea turtles, manatees and a whale shark swimming in the area. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A toxic algae bloom known as red tide has sickened people and killed manatees, sea turtles and millions of fish. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in seven counties along the Gulf of Mexico.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young speaks with Rachel Wells, general manager and lead tour guide for Riding the Waves, a boat tour company based in Englewood, Florida, whose livelihood has been affected by the bloom.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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