There is an on-going disagreement between environmental activists and state environmental officials about how regulations should be used to combat algae blooms in Florida’s waterways. Environmentalists say the state should set limits on the amount of toxins. However, the state agency believes the new limits should determine when and where to declare a public health emergency, not as a tool to try to prevent such emergencies. Last year Florida had the worst blue-green algae bloom in the state’s history as well as a devastating red tide outbreak along the state’s beaches that caused respiratory irritations in people and killed sea turtles, manatees, dolphins and fish.