PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has released its latest red tide update, confirming the presence of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, in 28 water samples collected from Southwest Florida over the past week.
Bloom Concentrations:
Of particular concern are three samples from Pinellas County, both nearshore and offshore, which showed bloom concentrations of K. brevis (greater than 100,000 cells per liter). These concentrations can cause significant impacts, including fish kills and respiratory irritation in humans.
Read: AccuWeather Warns Florida Is Facing 12″ Or More Of Flooding Rains, Tropical Threat
Other Areas:
- Southwest Florida: K. brevis was also found at lower concentrations in Sarasota County.
- Northwest Florida and East Coast: No red tide was observed in these regions.
Impacts:
- Fish Kills: No fish kills related to red tide were reported in the past week.
- Respiratory Irritation: Respiratory irritation, likely due to red tide, was reported in Pinellas County.
Monitoring and Resources:
FWC continues to monitor the situation closely, utilizing satellite imagery from the University of South Florida and NOAA to track red tide blooms.