The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 89 samples collected from and offshore of Southwest Florida over the past week. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 11 samples. Two in Manatee County. One offshore of Sarasota County. Four offshore of Charlotte County. Two in Lee County. Finally, two offshore of Monroe County. Additional details are provided below.
- In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to low concentrations in Pinellas County. Background to low concentrations were also found offshore of Hillsborough County. Very low to medium concentrations in and offshore of Manatee County. Also, very low to medium concentrations in and offshore of Sarasota County. Background to medium concentrations were found in and offshore of Charlotte County. Background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Lee County. Very low to low concentrations offshore of Collier County. Finally, very low to medium concentrations offshore of Monroe County.
- 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.
Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received in Southwest Florida.
Reports were from Manatee, Sarasota, and Collier counties over the past week. For more details, please visit https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/ and https://visitbeaches.org/.
Respiratory Irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported via the Beach Conditions Reporting System and/or the Fish Kill Hotline over the past week in Southwest Florida in Manatee County (Anna Maria Island Rod and Reel Pier, Coquina Beach, Manatee Beach, Pine Avenue Canal) and Sarasota County (Lido Key Beach, Manasota Key Beach, Nokomis Beach, Siesta Key Beach, Snake Island, South Lido Key Beach, Venice Beach, Venice North Jetty Beach). 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 net northwestern movement of surface waters in most areas and variable transport of subsurface waters over the next 3.5 days.
Southwest Florida Red Tide next status report will be issued on Friday, January 20th.
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.
For more on Southwest Florida fishing, listen to Reel Talk, Saturday mornings.
