Red Tide Still Active In Tampa Bay Area

Tampa Bay area residents with big weekend beach plans will find a persistent red tide bloom in local waters is still present, but conditions are improving.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, none of the water samples it tested over the past week in Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties had high levels of Karenia brevis, the organism responsible for causing Florida red tide. Some samples, however, did test positive for the presence of the organism.

In its Friday, May 5 Red Tide Status Report, FWC said that the red tide organism was found in background to very low concentrations in four water samples taken from Pinellas County waters. Four samples collected from Manatee County waters also showed background to very low concentrations. In Sarasota County, background to low concentrations were found in 25 samples.

“Fish kills and respiratory irritation were not reported in Southwest Florida over the past week,” the state noted.

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 banned 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.

Image via Shutterstock

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