K. brevis (red tide) was present at low concentrations in one Sarasota
Looks like it is where the major raw sewage spill occurred a few weeks ago.
Current Conditions
The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed in one Southwest Florida sample over the past week. Additional details are provided below.
- In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was present at low concentrations in one Sarasota County sample.
- In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
- Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
Patches of the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium are likely present in coastal and offshore waters. Over the past week, this alga was present in samples from Florida’s Northwest, Southwest, and East coasts. This alga blooms each year, has not been shown to be toxic in Florida’s waters, and often resembles sawdust but can change color as it decomposes. For more information, please see recent posts on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FLHABs) and information about Trichodesmium on our website (https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/general/trichodesmium/).
No fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported over the past week (please see https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline).
No reports of respiratory irritation were received over the past week.