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Venice city council member proposes year round ban on fertilizers to help prevent red tide

One Tampa Bay area city council member is proposing an ordinance that would keep contaminants from reaching the Gulf.
Credit: WTSP
A Venice official wants to ban fertilizer application year-round.

VENICE, Fla. -- While scientists do not know the exact cause of red tide, they do know nutrients in the water from fertilizers help feed the bloom and keep it growing.

One Tampa Bay area city council member is proposing an ordinance that would keep these contaminants from reaching the Gulf.

“Look at the Gulf, isn’t it ugly,” said Rob Merlino, a fisherman and community activist.

“Yeah, still have brackish water, it’s terrible!” added Daniels, Venice city councilman and vice mayor.

Two men with the same cause: to clean up our waters and keep red tide away from our shores.

“We can’t afford not to have bold action now,” says Daniels, who has a couple of aggressive ideas.

“We would ban the application of fertilizer year around until we’re able to monitor what we’re putting into the Gulf,” said Daniels.

The vice mayor wants the city to put electronic sensors on 10 outflow pipes that flush stormwater into the gulf along Venice’s three-mile stretch of coastline.

“To make sure we’re not contributing bacteria to feed the red tide. We learned from scientists red tide would not exist if you don’t provide food for them. So banning septic tank systems, banning fertilizer, collecting data … my hypothesis is we won’t have red tide growing,” explained Daniels.

Sarasota County already bans the use of nitrogen and phosphorous during the rainy season between June 1 and Sept. 30, but giving up fertilizers during the rest of the year could also mean giving up lush green carpet lawns.

RELATED: See our red tide coverage

“I’m in favor of it. I would forfeit that for the community,” said Bob Bush, a homeowner on Venice Avenue. He says he doesn’t know what chemicals his lawn care company uses but he’d have them find something more eco-friendly.

“I’m just a guy who wants to go fishing,” said Merlino. He wants to take Daniels' idea to Tallahassee.

What would he say to the homeowner who insists on having a green lawn at all costs?

“I’d say I’d rather have a brown lawn and green water than a green lawn and brown water.”

“What we’ve done here to paradise is turn it into death row,” said Daniels. “I’m hoping surrounding cities, counties, even the state would start doing the same thing.”

Daniels say he would instruct staff to come up with an education program for residents. The cost to place sensors on the outflow pipes would be $800,000. The city council meets on Sept. 11.

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