Red Tide Status Update: 12/4/24

Over the past week, red tide was detected in 49 samples collected from Northwest and Southwest Florida. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were observed in 6 samples: one offshore of Citrus County, one from Pinellas County, two from Sarasota County, and two from Charlotte County (StatewideTable1204). 

We are continuing to use satellite chlorophyll imagery (USF, NOAA NCCOS) to track this patchy bloom. Imagery from December 2 reveals that small offshore chlorophyll patches persist between the Panhandle and Collier County, but intensity appears to be less than observed last week, and remains at moderate levels.

Additional details are provided below.

• In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, background to low concentrations in Manatee County, background to medium concentrations in Sarasota County, low to medium concentrations in Charlotte County, and background and very low concentrations in Lee County.
• In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations offshore of Citrus County.
• Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.

Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline and other partners over the past week for Southwest Florida (along Pinellas County).

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

Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict net southern movement of surface waters and southeastern transport of subsurface waters in most areas over the next 3.5 days, from Pinellas County to northern Monroe County. These currents could move existing populations of K. brevis further south.

The next status report will be issued on Friday, December 6^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.