What beaches are experiencing red tide issues now?

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

 

FWC

 

Current Conditions
Over the past week, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was detected in 76 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 18 samples: 2 offshore of Pinellas County, 3 from and offshore of Sarasota County, 4 offshore of Charlotte County, 8 offshore of Lee County, and 1 offshore of Collier County. Satellite chlorophyll imagery (NOAA, USF) from 10/31 indicates patchy conditions along Southwest Florida, with elevated chlorophyll extending along ~160 miles of coastline. Elevated chlorophyll levels were observed ~25-35 miles offshore of Pasco County, and alongshore from southern Pinellas County to Lee County. The patch ranges from ~5 miles wide to ~20-25 miles wide off of Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay estuaries. Additional details are provided below.

  • In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, very low to low concentrations in and offshore of Manatee County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Sarasota County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Charlotte County, very low to medium concentrations in and offshore of Lee County, background to medium concentrations  offshore of Collier County, and background concentrations offshore of Monroe County.
  • In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was at background concentrations in one sample collected from Franklin County.
  • Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.

Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline and other partners over the past week for Southwest Florida (Pinellas, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties).

Respiratory Irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported over the past week in Southwest Florida (Pinellas, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee Counties). For forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf of Mexico Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast.

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

The next status report will be issued on Wednesday, November 6th. 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.