Red Tide Concerns Persist in Tampa Bay Area Counties

TALLAHASSEE, FL — A persistent red tide bloom that’s plagued Florida’s Gulf Coast from the Tampa Bay area south to Collier County for a few months continues to cause problems. As of Friday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported fish kills in several counties while respiratory irritations have also been noted.

In its Friday, Dec. 9 Red Tide Status report, FWC said the bloom is especially active in Manatee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties. Pinellas County waters have also tested positive for presence of Karenia brevis, the organism that causes Florida red tide.

“Fish kills affecting multiple species have been reported along Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties over the past week,” the report said. “Respiratory irritation has also been reported in areas of Sarasota County.”

Red tide 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 – low concentrations in four samples
• Manatee County – very low to medium concentrations in seven samples
• Sarasota County – very low to high concentrations in 28 samples
• Charlotte County – low to medium concentrations in 12 samples
• Lee County – background to medium concentrations in 19 samples
• Collier County – background to low concentrations in seven samples

Florida red tide blooms can be rather patchy, according to Mote Marine. 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. 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