Fish Kills Reported In Pinellas County

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The patchy red tide bloom that’s been kicking around Florida’s Gulf Coast for months has been blamed for two recent fish kills in Pinellas County and another one in the Fort Myers area.

In its Wednesday Red Tide Status Update report, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported the bloom remains very much active. Higher concentrations of the red tide organism, however, are now being found along Pinellas County's coastal areas. Over the past few months, higher concentrations had been found in such areas as Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Fish kills were reported at Tierra Verde on Jan. 5 and McPherson Bayou on Jan. 10. Fish kills were also reported on Fort Myers Beach on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7, according to the state’s report.

Red tide, also known as Karenia brevis, is a naturally occurring organism found in Gulf 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 – very low to high concentrations in six samples
• Manatee County – background to low concentrations in 19 samples
• Sarasota County – background to medium concentrations in 11 samples
• Charlotte County – very low concentrations in one sample
• Lee County – background to very low concentrations in eight samples
• Collier County – background concentrations in one sample

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