Red Tide Activity Reported In Tampa Bay Area

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — The patchy red tide bloom that’s been kicking around off Florida’s Gulf Coast remains active in several Tampa Bay area counties with evidence of its presence once again found off the Pinellas County coastline. In its Wednesday Midweek Red Tide Report, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission noted that fish kills and respiratory irritation remain very much a concern along the coast.

“Fish kills were last reported at Marco Island (Collier County) on 2/27,” the report said. “Respiratory irritation has been reported in Manatee County (at Manatee Beach), Sarasota County (Lido Key, Siesta Key, Venice North Jetty), and Charlotte County (Manasota Beach and Placida).”

Red tide, also known as Karenia brevis, is a naturally occurring organism found in Gulf of Mexico waters. When it accumulates in large amounts, it can kill fish and cause respiratory problems for people and animals.

Toxins in red tide can “enter the air and cause respiratory irritation among beachgoers, such as coughing, sneezing or a scratchy throat,” according to Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory. Mote scientists conduct year-round monitoring of Bay area waters.

According to FWC, red tide was found in water samples as follows over the past week:

• Pinellas County – background to very low concentrations in four samples
• Manatee County – background to medium concentrations in 19 samples
• Sarasota County – very low to medium concentrations in eight samples
• Charlotte County – background to medium concentrations in 13 samples
• Lee County – background to low concentrations in 13 samples
• Collier County – Background to medium concentrations in 11 samples

Florida red tide blooms are known to be patchy, according to Mote Marine. That means a beach with a high concentration of the organism can be located close to another that’s not experiencing issues.

Beachgoers with respiratory conditions, such as emphysema and asthma, may be more susceptible to red tide irritants. FWC recommends these public health tips when red tide is present:

• People who experience issues, such as nose, throat and eye irritations may want to leave the immediate area
• Those with severe or chronic respiratory conditions should avoid areas that are known to have active red tide
• When dead fish are present alongshore, it is advised that beachgoers avoid swimming in the water
• Red tide may also pose a risk to pets. Pets should not eat fish or drink water from water with a high concentration of red tide
• Recreational harvesting of such mollusks as hard clams, mussels and oysters is banded when red tide is present. To find out if harvest of shellfish is available in an area, visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture online.

To find out the conditions on local beaches, check out Mote Marine’s online tracking tool. To find out more about red tide and its presence in Florida, visit FWC online.

To report fish kills, call the FWC’s Fish Kill hotline at 800-636-0511 or submit a report online. FWC updates red tide status on Friday afternoons.

Map courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission