Red Tide Status Update for February 17, 2023

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

 

FWC

 

Current Conditions
Over the past week, the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 96 samples from and offshore of Southwest Florida, and one sample each from Northwest Florida and Florida’s East Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 47 samples: four in Manatee County, 13 in Sarasota County, eight in Charlotte County, and 22 in and offshore of Lee County. Additional details are provided below.

  • In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to low concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, background to medium concentrations in Manatee County, very low to medium concentrations in Sarasota County, very low to high concentrations in Charlotte County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Lee County, background to low concentrations in Collier County, and low concentrations offshore of Monroe County.
  • In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample from Bay County.
  • Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample from Palm Beach County.

Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received in Southwest Florida over the past week from Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. For more details, please visit https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/ and https://visitbeaches.org/.

Over the past week, respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported via the Beach Conditions Reporting System and/or the Fish Kill Hotline in Southwest Florida in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. Additional details are provided in the Southwest Coast report. For recent and current information at individual beaches, please visit https://visitbeaches.org/ and for forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit https://habforecast.gcoos.org/.

Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict variable movement of surface waters and net southeastern transport of subsurface waters in most areas over the next 3.5 days.

The next status report will be issued on Wednesday, February 22nd. Please check our daily sampling map, which can be accessed via the online status report on our Red Tide Current Status page. For more information on algal blooms and water quality, please visit Protecting Florida Together.