Red Tide: Fish Kills, ‘Slight’ Respiratory Irritation Reported in Sarasota, Manatee Counties

Tampa Bay area residents and visitors may want to check water conditions before diving in at beaches along the Gulf Coast. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has reported “a bloom of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis” along Manatee and Sarasota counties. Traces of the organism were also found in other areas, including Pinellas and Charlotte counties.

“Fish kills affecting multiple species, along with slight respiratory irritation, have been reported in Manatee and Sarasota counties since Sept. 19,” FWC wrote in its weekly Red Tide Status report.

FWC said Karenia brevis was found in background to high concentrations in 41 water samples collected from Manatee and Sarasota counties. It was found in background to very low concentrations in five samples taken in Pinellas County and three samples taken in Charlotte County. It was also found in background to low concentration in five samples from Lee County. In Collier County, four samples came back with background to very low concentrations while one sample from Okaloosa County showed very low concentrations.

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