The photo was made Feb. 4, at the height of the event. Scientists are not sure if the mass, which has since broken up into patches, was a bloom of algae, a breakout of bacteria or perhaps the result of some other event.
One scientist speculated that perhaps some underwater fountain is spewing black water, according to Thursday's Naples Daily News.
The black stuff was first spotted in January by pilots looking for fish, according to the newspaper. The broken patches now are spread along 126 miles north of the Florida Keys and west of mainland Florida.
Though no dead fish were found, fishermen have reported an abysmal season in the area and unusual behavior in the few fish they did find, the Daily News reported. The Bradenton Herald
The above is from today's space.com. Is this mystery solved yet? Too far south to affect your fishing?