This week on Florida Matters, we’re looking at two crises facing marine ecosystems in our state.

First, red tide is back.

The toxic algae has spread along the coast from Charlotte and Lee counties to Pinellas, where county workers spent last week scooping up hundreds of dead fish and other affected sea life along the shore.

Thousands of gallons of waste water from an abandoned phosphate mine spilled into Tampa Bay earlier this year. That could be one factor in this year’s outbreak — but it’s not the only reason.

And later, we’ll hear about why so many manatees are dying in the Indian River lagoon on Florida’s Atlantic coast.