A mess or Mother Nature? Algae cleanup debate grows on Fort Myers Beach

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. —

When should algae be cleaned up, and when should it be left alone?

That’s the question being debated along Fort Myers Beach, where even a typical amount of algae is drawing new attention.

Small piles of seaweed scattered across the shoreline are nothing unusual for this time of year. But lately, they’ve become a point of discussion, not just about appearance, but about how the beach should be managed.

For the past couple of months, crews have been cleaning up algae periodically. Still, town leaders say they don’t always rush to remove it right away.

“We have an algal accumulation cleanup policy where we only clean it up if it’s so thick, so wide, and so long,” said environmental projects manager Chadd Chustz. “Or if we are seeing that it’s causing kind of public health and safety issues, we’ll come and clean it up.”

That approach is dividing people.

“I think they should just clean it up,” said Michele Mitch, who was visiting the beach. “It’s probably a natural thing, but it gets a little smelly.”

Others say the algae is part of what makes the coastal environment function.

“We don’t want to just get rid of all the algae, because then the birds and the wildlife wouldn’t have anything to eat,” Chustz said.

Town leaders say that split reaction is something they hear often.

“As with a lot of things on this island, sometimes it’s 50/50,” Chustz said. “You just have to find that balance and try and make as many people happy and do the right thing for the environment.”

Now, that's fueling potential change.

Town officials say they’re working with a marine resource task force to review their current policies and decide whether adjustments are needed, including how often cleanup should happen.

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