NEWS RELEASES
Red Tide Update In Southwest Florida
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through FWC's website.
To ensure the health and safety of our state’s residents and visitors, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is committed to keeping Floridians updated on current algal blooms and how the state is responding to protect human health, water quality and the environment. Currently under watch is a bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, that persists in Southwest Florida.
According to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regular update, the organization continues to receive reports of fish kills in Southwest Florida. Over the past week, reports were received for multiple locations in Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties. The FWC reports that K. brevis (red tide) was observed at background to low concentrations in four samples collected from Pinellas County, very low to high concentrations in five samples collected from Manatee County, background to high concentrations in 57 samples collected from Sarasota County, low to high concentrations in nine samples collected from Charlotte County, background to high concentrations in 32 samples collected from or offshore of Lee County, very low to high concentrations in 12 samples collected from or offshore of Collier County, and very low to low concentrations in four samples collected offshore of Monroe County.
To learn additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.