{"id":7296,"date":"2016-12-14T15:08:47","date_gmt":"2016-12-14T20:08:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/?page_id=7296"},"modified":"2016-12-14T16:14:22","modified_gmt":"2016-12-14T21:14:22","slug":"toxic-algae-blooms-cause-health-economic-problems-along-for-florida","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/projects\/toxic-algae-blooms-cause-health-economic-problems-along-for-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"Toxic algae blooms cause health, economic problems along for Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><em>Posted December 14, 2016<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>By NYAH TENNELL<\/p>\n<p>On June 29, 2016, as a result of the increased number of toxic algal blooms along the Treasure Coast, Florida Gov., Rick Scott issued Executive Order 16-155, declaring a state of emergency in Martin and St. Lucie Counties, and called for the \u201ccomprehensive\u201d and \u201cemergency\u201d management of Lake Okeechobee discharge.<\/p>\n<p>According to Scott\u2019s executive order, federal administrations have failed to properly budget for the restoration and rehabilitation of Lake Okeechobee\u2019s surrounding 143-mile Herbert Hoover dike; and consequently, the aging structure is extremely vulnerable to leaking and failure. In order to avoid the dike\u2019s destruction, U.S. Army Corps has been forced to dump excess freshwater from the Lake into the St. Lucie Canal, which leads to the St. Lucie Estuary, a supposed saltwater system.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 584px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-7296-1\" width=\"584\" height=\"329\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Toxic-algae-bloom-by-Nyah-Tennell.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Toxic-algae-bloom-by-Nyah-Tennell.mp4\">http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Toxic-algae-bloom-by-Nyah-Tennell.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>These high lake levels can be attributed to excess water brought by El Nino rains, accompanied by agricultural dumping into Lake Okeechobee, which effectively led to the draining of fresh, nutrient-rich Lake Okeechobee water into the Estuary, said James Sullivan, research professor in phytoplankton dynamics at Florida Atlantic University\u2019s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.<\/p>\n<p>The release of this nutrient-rich freshwater into the Estuary and increasingly warm temperatures have made way for the conditions needed for the growth of the toxic algae, Microcystin, a genus of freshwater cyanobacteria that can also exists in estuarine and marine waters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the perfect storm for an already complex problem,\u201d said Sullivan.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Environmental Protection Agency, microcystin is almost always toxic to organisms, and is considered a hepatotoxin, meaning that it damages the liver, and can affect the kidney and reproductive system.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have seen extremely high levels of microcystin in the affected areas, which has been shown to cause gastrointestinal disorders and liver problems,\u201d said Professor Larry Brand of the University of Miami\u2019s department of marine biology and ecology.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is why we certainly don\u2019t want consumers eating anything from the Estuary.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7291\" style=\"width: 363px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/infested-waters-in-Stuart-Florida.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7291\" class=\" wp-image-7291\" src=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/infested-waters-in-Stuart-Florida-300x169.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"353\" height=\"205\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-7291\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Toxic microcystin algae overtakes waterways along the Treasure Coast in Stuart, Fla. (Photo courtesy of Dan Neumann).<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The International Agency for Research in Cancer, a division of the World Health Organization based in Lyon, France, has determined that Microcystin, in its most toxic form, is possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on data suggesting Microcystin may promote tumors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the southern lagoon over the summer (but not now), airborne toxins from the microcystis bloom were thousands of times above CDC levels for safety,\u201d said Kathleen Hill, administration and communications director for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was a definite health risk, but it was associated with the immediate vicinity of the waterfront, and when the bloom was at its peak, most people avoided the area.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Sullivan, when microcystin hits salt estuaries at 50 parts per thousand, a commonly used measure of salinity, algae cells should dissipate.<\/p>\n<p>However, with an extremely high influx of the microcystin and its unique nature and survival methods, the toxic algae is avoiding salt water by thriving in the upper column of salt-water estuaries where freshwater is present.<\/p>\n<p>This is possible due to the fact that saltwater is more dense than freshwater, causing the available freshwater in the St. Lucie Estuary to sit at the surface of the water, while saltwater &#8220;sinks,&#8221; existing in the lower columns of the water.<\/p>\n<p>Consequently, the microcystin gains access to sunlight and plenty of nutrient-rich freshwater by blanketing the top of the water while limiting other species\u2019 available sunlight and oxygen.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlthough a number of diverse species will be affected by the toxins, I am currently concerned about bigger marine animals, like manatees and dolphins, who breathe at the surface,\u201d said Sullivan.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7292\" style=\"width: 362px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Manatee-slightly-covered-in-algae.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7292\" class=\" wp-image-7292\" src=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Manatee-slightly-covered-in-algae-300x224.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"352\" height=\"266\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-7292\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A manatee faintly covered in algae was spotted at the surface of the St. Lucie Estuary (Photo courtesy of Dan Neumann).<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Hill also mentioned that the Indian River Lagoon Council was extremely concerned about what the huge influx of freshwater being released into the estuary would do to filter feeders, such as oysters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOysters can survive short periods in freshwater, but prefer saltier waters to really thrive. The releases to the estuary went on for about 180 days, and there were billions of gallons released. However, recent surveys are showing that salinity along the bottom of the estuary stayed, apparently, just salty enough for oysters to survive. The folks at Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center were more than a little surprised to discover live, adult oysters still alive on the bottom,\u201d Hill stated.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, microcystin is not the only toxin that has scientists and citizens worried about the algae\u2019s potential environmental and health effects.<\/p>\n<p>Professor Larry Brand also noted the discovery of the neurotoxin, BMAA (beta-methylamino-l-alanine) in the Indian River Lagoon, which is produced by cyanobacteria.<\/p>\n<p>Neurotoxins are poisonous to nerve tissue, and \u201cthe toxin BMAA is suspected to be linked to degenerative diseases, like Dementia, Parkinson\u2019s, and Alzheimer&#8217;s,\u201d said Brand.<\/p>\n<p>Although advisories and warnings have been issued, it is difficult to thoroughly evaluate the extent of the current hazard and potential consequences due to limitations in government support and available human study subjects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we are witnessing is slow and chronic exposure to Microcystin and BMAA, in which we may not see certain effects for 10 years or so,\u201d said Sullivan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause the methods and technology used to detect BMAA are extremely expensive, it is difficult to get research efforts funded, which is why there isn\u2019t enough hard research and evidence available,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>So what are residents of the Treasure Coast expected to do in response to the harmful air and water quality in the multitude of areas being impacted by the algae?<\/p>\n<p>St. Lucie County resident, Gianfranco Lamarra, an avid fisherman and boater, said that he hasn\u2019t been on the water and months, and has been hit tremendously by the toxic health scare.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot only do I fish for fun, but fishing is how I feed my family,\u201d Lamarra said.<\/p>\n<p>For the past six years, Lamarra has spent almost every weekend on the water, playing catch and release with small baitfish, and taking in the larger game fish, like snook and mangrove snapper, to cook and eat for dinner.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know when it will be safe to eat from the lagoon again,\u201d said Lamarra. \u201cI haven\u2019t even been boating because the algae stinks, like sewer waste, and leaves boats in bad condition when they sit in the infested waters for extended periods.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7290\" style=\"width: 363px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Dan-and-Rochelle-Neumann-of-Coastal-Paddle-Boarding.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7290\" class=\" wp-image-7290\" src=\"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Dan-and-Rochelle-Neumann-of-Coastal-Paddle-Boarding-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"353\" height=\"205\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-7290\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dan and Rochelle Neumann, Owners of Coastal Paddle Boarding, announce relocation to Cortez, Florida as \u201cbitter-sweet, said Dan Neumann (Photo courtesy of Dan Neumann).<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In response to the algae blooms and the subsequent loss of business, Dan and Rochelle Neumann, owners of Coastal Paddle Boarding, have shut down their location in Stuart, and have relocated their business to Ana Maria Island in Cortez, off of Florida\u2019s west coast.<\/p>\n<p>Once the county health department posted signs that read, \u201cAvoid contact with the water,\u201d I figured that it might be time to start over, said Dan Neumann.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe loses are monumental. We\u2019re down at least $100,000 this year alone,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, over the next few years, we will be able to better assess the economic, financial and health impact of the toxic algae blooms, as all the damage has not yet been done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Posted December 14, 2016 By NYAH TENNELL On June 29, 2016, as a result of the increased number of toxic algal blooms along the Treasure Coast, Florida Gov., Rick Scott issued Executive Order 16-155, declaring a state of emergency in &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/projects\/toxic-algae-blooms-cause-health-economic-problems-along-for-florida\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3284,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"sidebar-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7296","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7296"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7296\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7303,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7296\/revisions\/7303"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reporting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}