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www.amisun.com
THE SUN
MAY 20, 2020
Red tide study seeking volunteers BY CINDY LANE SUN STAFF WRITER | clane@amisun.com
A new study aiming to determine the effects of Florida red tide on brain health is seeking volunteers from Manatee and Sarasota counties. The Roskamp Institute is seeking 400 volunteers to participate in the study, funded by a $400,000 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The institute, which studies causes and potential cures for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, is focusing on red tide because it causes neurological symptoms, according to Executive Director Dr. Michael Mullan. “Hopefully, our research will show that there is no link between the Florida red tide brevetoxin exposure and an increase of neurological disorder,” he said. “However, when you see metric tons of marine life being killed in a few
weeks you realize how powerful the toxin is, and knowing that some of the effects of exposure can be long-lasting in other species, it makes sense to make sure that something similar is not happening in the human population – particularly in vulnerable populations.” Participants will have three assessments where blood and urine samples are taken to measure red tide brevetoxin and antibody levels. Volunteers will be seen during periods when no Florida red tide blooms are being observed and also during periods when they are. Researchers expect that comparing the levels of brevetoxin and antibodies with the participants’ neurological complaints will shed light on whether Florida red tide exposure can trigger neurological conditions. The study expands the previous work of team member Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick, formerly of Mote Marine Laboratory, which recorded an increase in emergency room admissions for neu-
High
(respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills, water discoloration)
(possible respiratory irritation)
Medium
Background
(probable respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills)
stone crabbers pulled their traps from the water and did not reset them, she said. In Florida’s $30 million stone crab industry, the annual catch has declined by 40% since 1998, according to Mote Marine Laboratory, which is investigating the possibility of farming stone crabs.
Very low
(no effects)
None
Low
(possible respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures, fish kills)
(no red tide present)
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rological complaints during the Florida red tide blooms between 2005-09. Florida red tide is caused by an algae that blooms in the Gulf of Mexico under certain environmental conditions and releases a neurotoxin called brevetoxin. During a severe bloom, brevetoxin kills fish, birds that feed on fish
Stone crab season crawls to halt Local stone crab landings started strong but declined toward the end of the season, which ends this week, according to Karen Bell of A.P. Bell Fish Co. in Cortez. With restaurants closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic during much of this year’s season, demand was low, and some Florida
RED TIDE REPORT
By collecting stone crabs under government permits, hatching their eggs and raising the larvae, Mote scientists are investigating which environmental challenges can affect stone crabs, including red tide, climate change, ocean acidification and low oxygen in water.
TURTLE TIPS
During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, please follow these tips: • Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water. • Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night. • Remove all objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings. • Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water. • Don’t use wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf. • Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights. • Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
BIRD TIPS
ANNA MARIA ISLAND TURTLE WATCH AND SHOREBIRD MONITORING | SUBMITTED
New state guidelines require that Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers relocate some turtle nests due to the upcoming beach renourishment on the Island, Director Suzi Fox said. Pictured from left are volunteers Bob and Deb Haynes relocating a nest in Holmes Beach.
and marine mammals such as dolphins and manatees. Other types of algae in Florida and elsewhere have been implicated in brain disorders, according to the institute. If you are interested in participating in the study, call 941-256-8019 ext. 3008 for more information.
During bird nesting season, March through August, please follow these tips: • Never touch a shorebird chick, even if it’s wandering outside a staked nesting area. • Teach kids not to chase birds – bird parents may abandon nests if they’re disturbed. • Don’t feed birds – it encourages them to fly at people aggressively and is not good for their health. • If birds are screeching and flying at you, you’re too close. • Avoid posted bird nesting areas and use designated walkways to the beach. • Keep pets away from bird nesting areas. • Keep the beach clean; food scraps attract predators such as raccoons and crows to the beach, and litter can entangle birds and other wildlife. • If you see people disturbing nesting birds, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
