A mysterious, smelly algae has washed ashore along Sarasota county waters and it has many concerned residents wondering just what it is.
Yousef Edwards and his buddy came to Blackburn Point looking for a new fishing spot.
But they had no luck today. After a while, they didn’t care to stay here too long.
“I really don’t know nothing about this algae, and I haven’t seen it before, no. The water used to be a lot cleaner,” said Edwards.
Adrienne Miceli-Trask was shocked by the sight when she went to dinner last night.
“We walked out the back and I was just horrified, I mean it was all this floating, it really looked like poop, and it smelled disgusting, it looked like raw sewage,” said Miceli-Trask.
Honestly, that’s the best way to describe it. The algae has a putrid stench. It has a weird, greasy consistency as it floats on the surface of the water. People have spotted this odd algae across Sarasota County, and even near Fort Myers.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is now investigating.
It’s unclear at this time what it is, but it’s got plenty of people concerned and wondering its it related to red tide.
“When you see something you’re not supposed to see, it makes you worried about the environment,” said Edwards.
Officials from Mote Marine Lab say it could simply be decomposing algae, but an investigation will have to be done to be sure.
In the meantime, Sarasota County government has urged people to not touch it.
Anytime you spot mysterious algae, you can notify the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. They can be reached 24 hours a day.
