Red Tide Update: Current ConditionsThe red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Over the past week, K. brevis was observed in 74 samples. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 46 samples. One in Manatee County. 32 in and offshore of Sarasota County. Two in Charlotte County. 10 in Lee County, and one in Collier County. Additional details are provided below.
- In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in Pinellas County. Very low to medium concentrations in Manatee County. Very low to high concentrations in and offshore of Sarasota County. Medium and high concentrations in Charlotte County. Very low to high concentrations in Lee County, and medium concentrations in Collier County.
- In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample from Santa Rosa County.
- Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received over the past week in Southwest Florida in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties. For more details, please visit: https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.
Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported over the past week in Southwest Florida in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. 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/.
Red Tide Update Forecasts
by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict southern transport of surface waters and southeastern movement of subsurface waters in most areas over the next 3.5 days.
The next complete status report will be issued on Friday, November 18th. 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.
This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on the FWRI Red Tide website. The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines.
To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see the FWRI Red Tide Flickr page. Archived status maps can also be found on Flickr.
The FWRI HAB group in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory now have a facebook page. Please like our page and learn interesting facts concerning red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida.
Listen to Reel Talk, Saturday mornings for more discussion on our local waters.