Battling red tide, FGCU seeks $9 million grant to study cause of toxic algae: report

Jan. 22--Florida Gulf Coast University is seeking a $9 million grant from the state to better research the cause and effects of red tide, according to a report by the News-Press, a publication part of USA Today.

The grant request comes after the toxic algae plagued much of Florida's western and eastern shorelines in 2017 and 2018.

The organism karenia brevis, better known as red tide, blooms offshore and then moves closer to the coastline, according to the Florida Department of Health.

FGCU's main research goal is to prove whether or not nutrients that originate on the mainland, from sources such as fertilizers, contribute to red tide blooms, the News-Press report stated. FGCU also seeks to study blue-green algae, which has infected waterways in South Florida, according to the report.

The red tide outbreak was responsible for killing thousands of marine organisms, including fish, turtles, dolphins, and manatees, while also closing beach access and deterring tourism.

The year long battle with red tide came to an end on most Florida coasts in December, however the algae persists in medium to high concentrations on some Sarasota beaches, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's daily samples report.

Read the full report at news-press.com.

jpedersen@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5268, @JoeMarPedersen on Twitter or @JoeMarioPedersenJournals on Facebook

___

(c)2019 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)

Visit The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) at www.OrlandoSentinel.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.