Red Tide Levels Low As Weekend Temperatures Rise

TALLAHASSEE, FL — With temperatures in the Tampa Bay area set to soar into the 90s over the weekend ahead, chances are more than a few folks have beaches on their mind. A patchy red tide bloom that’s plagued the region’s coastal areas with fish kills and reports of beachgoers suffering respiratory irritations for the past few months has dissipated somewhat in time for those temperature spikes.

In its Red Tide Status update report on Friday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission noted there had been no fish kills or other major problems associated with the organism over the past week. Red tide concentrations were measured at background to very low levels throughout Southwest Florida.

According to FWC, red tide was found in water samples as follows over the past week:

• Pinellas County – background concentrations in one sample
• Manatee County – background concentrations in one sample
• Sarasota County – background concentrations in three samples
• Charlotte County – background to very low concentrations in six samples
• Lee County – background concentrations in two samples
• Collier County – background concentrations in one sample

Red tide, also known as Karenia brevis, is a naturally occurring organism found in Gulf of Mexico 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.

To check on the conditions at local beaches, Mote Marine’s online tracking tool is available for use. 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.

Map courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission