Red Tide Status Update: 2/20/26

Over the past week, red tide was observed in six samples from Northwest Florida and one sample each from Southwest Florida and Florida’s East Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were not observed. We continue to use satellite imagery (USF and NOAA NCCOS) to help track nearshore and offshore conditions. We have been monitoring an offshore patch of elevated chlorophyll (not suspected to be K. brevis), and imagery from February 18 revealed that it persists and has moved further offshore (15-20 miles).

Additional details follow.

• In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected offshore of Monroe County.
• In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to very low concentrations in six samples collected from Bay County.
• Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Miami-Dade County.

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

Respiratory Irritation suspected to be related to red tide was not reported over the past week in Florida. For forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf Coast Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast.

Short-term (3.5 day) forecasts provided by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict net northern to northwestern transport of surface and subsurface waters in most areas from Walton County to Lee County. From Collier County to northern Monroe County, forecasts predict net northern surface water transport and minimal subsurface water movement in most areas.

The next status report will be issued on Friday, February 27. 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.       

Please follow our facebook page for status updates and other interesting facts about red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida.