Red Tide Remains A Concern In Tampa Bay Waters

BRADENTON, FL — Tampa Bay area residents hoping to hit the beach this weekend may want to check local water conditions before diving in.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Karenia brevis bloom that has been hanging around offshore of Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties is still in the picture. Karenia brevis is the organism responsible for creating red tide.

In its Red Tide Update report on Wednesday, the state noted red tide concentrations in these areas:

• Pinellas County – Low to medium concentrations were found in six samples collected in and alongshore of Pinellas.
• Hillsborough County – Background to medium concentrations were found in 11 samples collected inshore of Hillsborough.
• Manatee County – Very low to medium concentrations were found in 21 samples collected in and alongshore of Manatee.
• Sarasota – Low to medium concentrations were found in 22 samples collected in and alongshore of Sarasota.

Concentrations were also found in waters off Charlotte and Lee counties.

“Respiratory irritation continues to be reported in several bloom areas of Southwest Florida,” the report noted. The bloom is expected to move slightly to the south over the coming days.

Red tide is an algae that occurs naturally in the Gulf that can cause respiratory irritations when it accumulates in large amounts. Toxins in red tide can “enter the air and cause respiratory irritation among beachgoers, such as coughing, sneezing or a scratchy throat,” the Mote Marine Laboratory explains on its website. Mote scientists conduct year-round monitoring of Bay area waters.

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.

Map courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife