Algae piles up along Fort Myers and Sanibel beaches

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. —

Red drift algae has been washing up along Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel. Experts clarify that it's completely harmless and a healthy part of the ecosystem.

The algae washes away on its own, but people have been sharing photos of the heaps of it on social media. Fort Myers Beach says if levels reach a certain level, it may begin taking steps to get it raked up.

"We went and looked at it this afternoon, and it does need to be about a foot in depth and a thousand linear feet in length. So, we are getting dangerously close to that measurement," said Abigail Eberhart, the Town of Fort Myers Beach public information officer.

Both Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach say one possible reason there's more algae than usual on the beaches is the fact that there wasn't a major storm this past hurricane season.

"We didn't have hurricanes. We didn't have that turbulence out there that would break it apart and knock it down," explained Eric Jackson, the City of Sanibel public information officer.

While it's here, experts say it can be a food source for marine life and shorebirds.

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