Dead Fish, Respiratory Irritations Reported at Most Sarasota, Manatee County Beaches

SARASOTA, FL — Tampa Bay area water lovers may encounter unfriendly conditions at some beaches in Sarasota and Manatee counties as a Florida red tide bloom persists in the region.

On Wednesday, Sarasota’s Mote Marine Laboratory reported red tied-related issues at many beaches in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Water samples collected by the Florida Department of Health on Sept. 26, along with Sarasota County, showed medium to high levels of Karenia brevis, the single-cell organism responsible for Florida red tide, Mote Marine wrote in an email to media.

All 16 samples taken from Sarasota County, Mote reported, had medium to high concentrations of K. brevis. Five locations in particular had high concentrations, including Turtle Beach, Nokomis Beach, Venice North Jetty, Manasota Beach and Siesta Beach.

“As of Tuesday evening, Mote’s Beach Conditions Reporting System has reported respiratory irritation and dead fish in all beaches in Sarasota and Manatee counties except for Manatee Beach,” Mote’s email said. “Venice North Jetty, Lido Beach, Venice Beach and Nokomis Beach reported slight respiratory irritation while Siesta Key and Coquina Beach reported moderate respiratory irritation and Manasota reported intense respiratory irritation. Nokomis Beach and Coquina reported some dead fish while the rest of the beaches reported heavy fish kills.”

Red tide is 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,” Mote Marine Laboratory explains on its website. Mote scientists conduct year-round monitoring of Bay area waters.

Florida red tide blooms, Mote noted, can be rather patchy. Beaches with background to high concentrations can be located in close proximity to one another. That means effects might be noticeable at one beach, but not at a nearby location.

Beachgoers with respiratory conditions, such as emphysema and asthma, may be more susceptible to red tide irritants. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 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.

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