Author: Jenny Staletovich

More than a dozen endangered sawfish have died in the Lower Keys in recent weeks amid an unusual fish kill that also included goliath grouper, tarpon, stingrays and dozens of other species found dead or behaving erratically.Early testing has so far ruled out harmful water conditions such as low oxygen, temperature or salinity, but found high levels of a toxic algae found in ciguatera.Fish that feed on reefs usually carry ciguatera because that’s where the algae naturally grows. Toxins can build up, which can be dangerous for fish to eat. It is rarely fatal, but symptoms including vomiting and neurologic…