A toxic algae bloom one-and-a-half times the size of the Rhode Island is drifting through the Gulf of Mexico, wreaking havoc on the ecosystem, and heading straight for Florida’s west coast. The algae emits odorless chemicals, which taints the water red, also can cause respiratory issues in humans, such as coughing and wheezing, and is fatal to marine life.

“FWC and information by the Center of Prediction there’s an anticipation some of the bloom could make it near shore in the next several weeks,” said Dr. Vince Lovko, program director for Phytoplankton Ecology Program with Mote Marine Laboratories, to WTSP-10.

According to satellite images from the Optical Oceanography Laboratory at the University of South Florida (USF), a bloom of Karenia brevis, collectively known as ‘the red tide’, is up to 60 miles wide and 90 miles long. The red tide is estimated to be at least 20 miles offshore of a range of counties in northwest and southwest Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) Fish Kill Hotline received thousands of reports of dead marine life as a result of the toxic algae, including various species of fish, crabs, flounder, bull sharks, lionfish, eel, sea snakes, and octopus.

The FWC current status report indicates that although there are incidents of water discoloration and respiratory irritation offshore of Florida near the bloom patch, analysis by the Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict ocean currents to keep the bloom offshore in the upcoming days.

However, rosy reports are not keeping Florida officials from preparing for the worst. Scientists from the USF and FWC are employing two robotic gliders, nicknamed “Waldo” and “Bass”, to collect water samples to gauge the concentration of the toxic algae.

“They’re both collecting data like temperature and salinity. Bass has optical data and chlorophyll and Waldo has one of the OPD’s, the fighter plankton discriminators,” explained Dr. Kellie Dixon of Mote Marine in an interview with WWSB-ABC 7.

The largest red tide bloom in Florida history to date was in 2006. As a result of the ecological devastation, the Florida legislature directed $1,000,000 annually for the study of red tide and acceptable control and mitigation plans. However, politics and short-term economics outweighed long-term scientific benefits, in 2008 funding was shut off, and the program effectively ended the next year.