At a Glance

The red tide that began in October has left a trail of dead marine animals in waters along Southwest Florida's beaches.The red tide has resulted in respiratory illnesses in the area.

An algal bloom along Florida's southwestern coast haskilled marine life, including turtles, manatees and fish, local officials say.

Fishing guide Chris O'Neill told the Fort Myers News-Press the red tide that began in October in waters all along Southwest Florida's beaches.

"It’s pretty bad, and it smells like massive death," O'Neill told the newspaper. "I saw a manatee and a sea turtle and six tarpondead in one small body of water. I only had to look for a couple of hours. It wasn’t hard to find.I could see about six Goliaths laying on the beach at Boca Grande."

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The bloom originated in waters off Lee Countynear Fort Myers but has expanded to include waters just south ofTampa Bay , the Florida Fish and WildlifeConservation Commission reported.

Over the past week, FWC reported fish kills in Boca Grande Pass, Gasparilla Island and North Captiva Pass in Lee Countyand at Big Marco Pass, Caxambas Pass and South Marco Island in Collier County, among other locations.

The red tide has also resulted in respiratory illnesses in humans.

"There was heavy respiratory irritation and fish kills in the Boca Grande area," Hayley Rutger of the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota told the News-Press. "A number of areas in Southwest Florida are forecast to get respiratory irritation. Lee has anywhere from low to high, dependingon where you are."

Algal originate fromrunoff containing human waste and fertilizers from nearby farms and ordinary neighborhoods, according to the FWC.Nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as other nutrients in the polluted runoff, can act like fertilizer for the algae, creating large and long-lasting blooms.

If ingested, water contaminated with toxic cyanobacteria can cause nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, acute liver failure, the FWC also said.

The Centers for Disease Control says can result in a rash. Some research indicates a link between long-term inhalation of toxic algae fumes and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases.

Officials say they expect little change in the outbreak in the coming days.