Algae Blooms Force Closure of all Mississippi Beaches, Threatening Economic Growth for Already Impoverished State

Mississippi voters keep voting for climate change deniers who spend most of their time trying to ban abortion (because that’s Mississippi’s biggest problem, right?). All I can say is that they are now getting what they voted for-- as environmental ignorance is rapidly destroying two important sectors of the state's economy.

Well, it now seems that Mississippi is feeling the effects of climate change bumping up against reliance on pollutants to control our environments. All 21 beaches along the Mississippi gulf coast have now been closed due to an enormous blue-green harmful algal bloom (HAB).

HABs are induced by an overabundance of nutrients in the water. The two most common nutrients are fixed nitrogen (nitrates, ammonia, urea) and phosphate.  These nutrients are emitted by agriculture, other industries, excessive fertilizer use in urban/suburban areas and associated urban runoff.  Higher water temperature and low circulation are contributing factors.  HABs can cause significant harm to animals, the environment and economies. They have been increasing in size and frequency worldwide, a fact that many experts attribute to global climate change.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has advised all people (and their pets) to avoid water contact such as swimming or wading because exposure to the blue-green HAB can be harmful.  The algae can cause rashes, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. MDEQ advises that those exposed wash with soap and water and to not eat fish or any other seafood taken from affected areas.

According to experts, the algae bloom is due to the excessive amount of rain that hit the eastern United States this spring, in tandem with an overuse of fertilizer. The combination has led to a freshwater runoff into the Gulf that fed this bloom.  This is not a new phenomenon and it is not limited to just Mississippi.

In June 2015, the largest known toxic HAB forced the shutdown of the west coast shellfish industry, the first time that has ever happened. One Seattle NOAA expert commented, "This is unprecedented in terms of the extent and magnitude of this harmful algal bloom and the warm water conditions we're seeing offshore." The bloom covered a range from Santa Barbara, California northward to Alaska.

Algae blooms can harm the environment even without producing toxins-- then can also by deplete oxygen from the water when growing and while decaying after they die.  Blooms can also block sunlight to organisms living beneath it.  A record-breaking number and size of blooms have formed in the Pacific coast, in Lake Erie, in the Chesapeake Bay and in the Gulf of Mexico, where a number of dead zones were created as a result.  Unfortunately, dead zones rarely recover and usually grow in size.

West coast algal bloom of 2015

 In June 2015, the largest known toxic HAB forced the shutdown of the west coast shellfish industry, the first time that has ever happened. One Seattle NOAA expert commented, "This is unprecedented in terms of the extent and magnitude of this harmful algal bloom and the warm water conditions we're seeing offshore." The bloom covered a range from Santa Barbara, California northward to Alaska.

Algae blooms can harm the environment even without producing toxins-- then can also by deplete oxygen from the water when growing and while decaying after they die. Blooms can also block sunlight to organisms living beneath it. A record-breaking number and size of blooms have formed in the Pacific coast, in Lake Erie, in the Chesapeake Bay and in the Gulf of Mexico, where a number of dead zones were created as a result.  Unfortunately, dead zones rarely recover and usually grow in size.

Dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico

In July 2016 Florida declared a state of emergency for four counties as a result of algae blooms. They were said to be "destroying" a number of businesses and affecting local economies, with many needing to shut down entirely.  Some beaches were closed, and hotels and restaurants suffered a drop in business. Tourist sporting activities such as fishing and boating were also affected.   Senator Marco Rubio called the situation in Florida "a health, ecological and economic emergency."

Attention all Mississippians:  keep voting for Republicans, and you'll end up killing off your tourism and fishing industries.  Let's hope gambling can pick up the slack!