Siesta Beach

In 1954, Sarasota County first purchased property on the key for a public beach.<ref name=”auto”/> Slowly, Siesta Key began to grow in population, and now around 350,000 tourists visit it every year.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} Siesta Beach was named #1 in the U.S. and #11 in the world in the 2020 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice™ awards. This island oasis has grabbed the top spot three times since 2015. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Visit Sarasota Florida Beaches and Beyond {{!}} Official Travel Guide|url=https://www.visitsarasota.com/|access-date=2021-10-22|website=www.visitsarasota.com}}</ref>

In 1954, Sarasota County first purchased property on the key for a public beach.<ref name=”auto”/> Slowly, Siesta Key began to grow in population, and now around 350,000 tourists visit it every year.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} Siesta Beach was named #1 in the U.S. and #11 in the world in the 2020 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice™ awards. This island oasis has grabbed the top spot three times since 2015. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Visit Sarasota Florida Beaches and Beyond {{!}} Official Travel Guide|url=https://www.visitsarasota.com/|access-date=2021-10-22|website=www.visitsarasota.com}}</ref>

In 2018 the beaches were impacted by ”[[Karenia brevis]]”, an algae drift known as [[red tide]]. Several tons of dead fish washed ashore on the beach at various times, most of which were removed in the early morning hours by the truckload. The toxins from red tide cause respiratory discomfort to humans, in addition to killing fish, turtles, and manatees. In the past, the cycle of red tide has lasted up to eighteen months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Thousands of dead fish on Siesta Beach, red tide could be to blame |last1=Adams |first1=Rick |url=http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/thousands-of-dead-fish-on-siesta-beach-red-tide-could/article_88cd2270-95f1-11e8-a5e0-834b517d8b1a.html |accessdate=August 7, 2018 |date=August 1, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807032733/http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/thousands-of-dead-fish-on-siesta-beach-red-tide-could/article_88cd2270-95f1-11e8-a5e0-834b517d8b1a.html|archive-date=August 7, 2018}}</ref><ref name=”Hundreds”>{{cite news |last1=Putterman |first1=Samantha |title=Hundreds of dead fish line Siesta Key beach. Red tide may be heading to Manatee next |url=https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article215966155.html |accessdate=December 18, 2018 |date=August 2, 2018}}</ref>

In 2018 the beaches were impacted by ”[[Karenia brevis]]”, an algae drift known as [[red tide]]. Several tons of dead fish washed ashore on the beach at various times, most of which were removed in the early morning hours by the truckload. The toxins from red tide cause respiratory discomfort to humans, in addition to killing fish, turtles, and manatees. In the past, the cycle of red tide has lasted up to eighteen months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Thousands of dead fish on Siesta Beach, red tide could be to blame |last1=Adams |first1=Rick |url=http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/thousands-of-dead-fish-on-siesta-beach-red-tide-could/article_88cd2270-95f1-11e8-a5e0-834b517d8b1a.html |accessdate=August 7, 2018 |date=August 1, 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807032733/http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/thousands-of-dead-fish-on-siesta-beach-red-tide-could/article_88cd2270-95f1-11e8-a5e0-834b517d8b1a.html|archive-date=August 7, 2018}}</ref><ref name=”Hundreds”>{{cite news |last1=Putterman |first1=Samantha |title=Hundreds of dead fish line Siesta Key beach. Red tide may be heading to Manatee next |url=https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article215966155.html |accessdate=December 18, 2018 |date=August 2, 2018}}</ref> Unfortunately, many of the beaches were also impacted with red tide though most of 2019.

==References==

==References==