Red tide has been found in areas of Southwest Florida, particularly in Lee County.
Current ConditionsKarenia brevis, was detected in 114 samples from and offshore of Southwest Florida, and three from Northwest Florida. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 31 samples from Southwest Florida: six in Sarasota County, 19 in and offshore of Lee County, two offshore of Collier County, and four in and offshore of Monroe County. Additional details are provided below.
Over the past week, the red tide organism,- In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to very low concentrations in Pinellas County, background concentrations in Hillsborough County, background to low concentrations in Manatee County, background to medium concentrations in Sarasota County, low concentrations in Charlotte County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Lee County, background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Collier County, and background to high concentrations in and offshore of Monroe County.
- In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample each from Santa Rosa, Bay, and Gulf counties.
- Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
Over the past week, reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received in Southwest Florida from Charlotte, Sarasota and Lee counties, and offshore of Monroe County.
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