Red Tide Status Update: 10/4/24

Red tide was detected in 28 samples from Southwest Florida over the past week. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in three samples collected in and offshore of Pinellas County. We continue to use satellite imagery (USF and NOAA NCCOS) to help track nearshore and offshore conditions. Additional details are provided below.

• In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to high concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County and background concentrations in Sarasota County.
• In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
• Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.

No reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received from FWC's Fish Kill Hotline or other partners over the past week.

Respiratory Irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported to FWRI and partners in Southwest Florida (Pinellas County) over the last week. For forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf of Mexico Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast.

The next status report will be issued on Friday, October 11^th. 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.