Summers equal beaches for many of us. Here’s how programs throughout the Gulf are working to keep you and yours safe while you’re there!
There are many things we need to do and pack when planning a day at the beach. Reef-safe sunscreen? Yep! Natural fiber towels? You bet! Reusable water bottle? Always!!!! Check websites to learn about possible safety hazards at the beach? Wait, what?
Yep, you heard me! There are multiple websites available from the states of Mississippi and Alabama that alert residents and visitors to different beach hazards so that you can beach with confidence. While many of us pay attention to rip-current warnings or strong surf advisories included along with daily weather reports, how many of us pay attention to potential biological hazards at the beach?
Well, unless you’re a water-quality nerd (guilty), you might not be aware that our beaches are routinely monitored for things like fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) (a sign of potential sewage contamination) and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), which can pose a threat to our health while we’re swimming. We can thank programs from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for these monitoring programs.
Just what are FIBs?
Fecal indicator bacteria (FIBs), frequently referred to just as fecal bacteria or even pathogens, are a group of bacteria commonly found in the guts of warm-blooded animals, including humans. These bacteria make it to our waterways from many pathways, like leaky septic systems, failure to use pump-out stations by boaters and RVers, and excess stormwater flow.
While FIBs are not actually pathogens and are not necessarily harmful to humans themselves, when found in high concentrations in water (e.g., drinking or swimming water supplies) they can indicate an increased risk of illness. Illness from waterborne pathogens can vary from gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (nausea, vomiting or diarrhea) that are easily treated with over-the-counter remedies to severe disease (like hemorrhagic dysentery) that may require hospitalization.
Bathing beaches are regularly monitored in the “swimming months” from February through November, and signs are posted for the public when tests show concentrations are higher than considered safe. But who wants to plan a trip to the beach, battle weekend traffic the whole way only to find out once you’re there that the beach is closed because of FIBs? Not me! Both Mississippi and Alabama have interactive maps that allow you to either click on a beach monitoring location and see the latest results or look at all of the results from beaches along the coast to see if there are any closures.
Another group of bacteria, the vibrios, are not associated with our guts but may cause illness when encountered in high concentrations. Vibrios are natural in the environment but can grow rapidly under the warm conditions of our coastal summers leading to various illnesses. The most common are GI symptoms (after consuming contaminated seafood, for example) and skin lesions (from infected cuts and scrapes). Because some skin infections caused by vibrios can be quite serious and even lead to amputation or death, they are sometimes referred to as “flesh eating bacteria.” However, without getting too nerdy, this is not quite accurate. It does suffice to say that beachgoers should take care to cover scrapes and cuts when they are enjoying a beach swim and to clean out any wounds received at the beach thoroughly!
And, what are HABs?
Harmful algae, though quite different from FIBs, are another microscopic group of organisms that can lead to illness when their concentrations get too high. While algae, plantlike organisms found mostly in water, are an important part of many aquatic food webs, some species can produce chemicals that are toxic to animals and humans.
When these types of harmful algae grow in large numbers in our warm coastal waters, they can form what are called Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Though HABs can be caused by a variety of algal species, some are caused by algae that can make the water look red when they are blooming. These “red tides” are frequently associated with fish kills, skin irritation and even respiratory distress in sensitive populations. Check out the MASGC website to learn more about red tides and blue-green algal blooms, their causes and potential symptoms.
Monitoring for HABs is less common in Mississippi and Alabama than FIBs, but there are resources that allow beachgoers to see the most recent HAB results from testing locations throughout the Gulf.
For example, the interactive map for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Harmful Algal BloomS Observing System displays all recent and historical test results for one algal species responsible for red tides, Karenia brevis.
Red tides frequently originate in warmer shallower waters off the coast of Florida and are carried to the shores of Alabama and Mississippi along prevailing currents. Monitoring for HABs in our area frequently begins when ADEM and MDEQ, or other authorities, see that a red tide is beginning to travel westward along the Panhandle. If concentrations reach a level that could cause health symptoms in beachgoers or seafood eaters, state health officials will put out public notices as either health advisories, or in extreme cases, beach closures.
Be beach aware!
Warnings about rip currents or jellyfish, which can pose an immediate danger to swimmers, are frequently designated by different color flags posted along beaches and inside many beach businesses. Yet, even without warning flags, many visitors are easily able to tell when the surf looks too dangerous to swim, or they can see jellyfish in the water or along the water’s edge and know to avoid getting in. This may not be the case with HABs and is never the case with bacterial contamination.
Without the regular testing of coastal waters by the dedicated public servants in your local marine resources, environmental quality and public health departments, we’d all be left to wonder about the health and safety of ourselves and loved ones during beach trips. Let’s face it, our summers are long, hot and made much more bearable by a cool dip in our beautiful coastal waters. So, the next time you’re heading to the beach be sure to add checking the FIB and HAB monitoring results to your list and bathe with confidence. And don’t forget to thank the hard-working public beach monitoring staff when you’re out there!
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