Red Tide Status Update

FWC
MANATEE COUNTY — Over the past week, red tide was detected in 86 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations were present in three samples: one from Sarasota County, one offshore of Lee County, and one offshore of Collier County. We continue to use satellite imagery to help track this event.
  • In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to low concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, background concentrations in Manatee County, background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Sarasota County, background to low concentrations in and offshore of Charlotte County, background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Lee County, and background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Collier County.
  • In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in and offshore of Pasco County.
  • Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.

Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received from Southwest Florida over the past week from Sarasota County. For more details, please visit https://myfwc.com/research/ saltwater/health/fish-kills- hotline/ and https://visitbeaches.org/.

Over the past week, respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported via the Beach Conditions Reporting System and/or the Fish Kill Hotline in Southwest Florida in Sarasota County. For recent and current information at individual beaches, please visit https://visitbeaches.org/ and for forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit https://habforecast.gcoos.org/ .

Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict net northern surface currents, and variable transport of subsurface waters with minimal net movement in most areas over the next 3.5 days.

The next status report will be issued on Friday, April 28th. Please check our daily sampling map, which can be accessed via the online status report on our Red Tide Current Status page. For more information on algal blooms and water quality, please visit Protecting Florida Together.

This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on the FWRI Red Tide website. The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines.

To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see the FWRI Red Tide Flickr page. Archived status maps can also be found on Flickr.       

The FWRI HAB group in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory now have a facebook page.  Please like our page and learn interesting facts concerning red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida.


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