Sunshine Sentinel

As the sun sets on the coronavirus pandemic, Florida turns its attention to a new crisis currently washing up on the shores of the state. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently held a roundtable meeting to discuss an algae that is washing up on the shores of Florida called red tide. Florida has been battling red tide for a few years, but it has gotten increasingly worse in recent years. The roundtable included employees and leaders from government agencies as well as environmental experts. 

In a tweet, DeSantis declared: "My administration has been focused on protecting Florida’s water resources. Enjoyed moderating a great roundtable that highlighted our strategic investments in red tide research, mitigation and communication efforts."

It's clear that the state is serious about combatting red tide. Not only has the governor's office talked a big game, action has been taken. In Florida's most recent budget, $4.8 million was provisioned to fight red tide, according to a press release put out by the governor. 

Red tide in Florida is hardly a new problem. According to several reports, the state has been dealing with it as far back as the 1700s. However, Florida's attention is now turned fully towards the invasive algae as it continues to wreak havoc on the local environment and shoreline. Red tide can last up to a year at a time, severely damaging the state that relies heavily on tourism and its coasts. 

With Florida's full attention on the problem, headway is expected to be made. Still, red tide has been a problem that has been difficult to solve for years.