Mote Marine scientists test 100+ compounds to stop red tide blooms

SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. (WINK)—Red tide has been a longtime Gulf Coast headache, impacting health and the local economy.

While there are no active blooms right now, scientists say the real work is happening far from the beach. New research isn't just about tracking red tide—it's about stopping it.

WINK News reporter Bridget Bruchalski spoke with the director of the Red Tide Institute at Mote Marine Laboratory, who says they're making real progress. 

Cheryl Anderson has been coming to Sanibel Island since the 80s. She knows why people keep coming back.

"It's absolutely beautiful here, sandy beaches, the noise of the waves, I mean it just, I mean, it brightens your day," Anderson said.

She also knows the other side of paradise.

"I do notice that if I'm on the boat and there's some red tide, it does start. Your throat starts closing up a little bit," Anderson said. "Of course, the smell is not so nice."

The last major bloom in Southwest Florida was back in February 2025, but the red tide hasn't gone anywhere. Behind the scenes, researchers are recreating blooms in the lab, testing ways not just to predict them but to stop them.

Dr. Cynthia Heil, senior scientist and director of Mote Marine Laboratory's Red Tide Institute, has been studying the Florida red tide for most of her career.

"It's really only recently that the focus has shifted from basic research to understanding why, to understanding how we can combat it," Heil said.

So what does that look like for Mote Marine Laboratory?

"We've been, over the six years, testing, oh, over 100 different compounds and technologies for red tide," Heil said. "Some of these are liquids, some of these are powders, some of these are solids."

The goal is to hit the red tide twice—kill the cells and neutralize the toxins that harm marine life and irritate our lungs. Their next step involves what they call a tier three stage.

"We call it a tier three stage, and we only do that when we know it's effective against cells and toxins and we have the right state and federal permits," Heil said.

That means testing on the water rather than in a lab. How effective is this research?

"At the moment, they only work when there is a bloom. Some are 100%, some are 75% on up,” Heil said. “Our overarching rule right now is do no further harm than the red tide's doing. So we want to be absolutely sure that what we're using is safe to put in the water," Heil said.

For beachgoers like Anderson, the research offers hope.

"That would be great. That would be unbelievable, just as anything to save our fish," Anderson said.