Algae blooms found in Matlacha Pass

Slimy and milky water is appearing in Matlacha Pass.

“The smell is awful,” said Jeff Boone.

Friends Boone and Sue McAfee were out on Matlacha on Wednesday looking for fishing spots but instead, the two ended up finding foul-smelling water.

It’s not just noticeable from the fishing pier. A bird’s eye view of the water shows it is milky with mat algae on the bottom of the Matlacha Pass.

The algae in this case is likely feeding on nutrients from septic tanks and the Peace River, not Lake Okeechobee releases.