Good news for Florida’s coasts this week: the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported that the organism responsible for red tide, Karenia brevis, was not detected in any water samples collected statewide over the past seven days.
In its latest status update, the FWC confirmed the absence of the harmful algae. Consistent with these findings, no fish kills suspected of being related to red tide were reported through the FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline or other partner organizations during this period.
Furthermore, there were no reports of respiratory irritation suspected to be caused by red tide exposure along Florida’s coastline over the past week.
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Despite the clear samples, monitoring efforts remain active. The FWC continues to collaborate with the University of South Florida (USF) and the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), utilizing satellite imagery to track both nearshore and offshore water conditions for any potential development of algal blooms.
For those seeking detailed predictions, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides forecasts for the Gulf Coast, incorporating data from the FWC and its partners. Additionally, forecasts developed through the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides anticipate a southwestern movement of surface waters and southeastern transport of subsurface waters for the region spanning Pinellas County down to northern Monroe County over the next 3.5 days.
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The FWC encourages the public to stay informed by checking its daily sampling map, available via the Red Tide Current Status page on the FWC website. This site also offers comprehensive resources, including maps, detailed reports, satellite imagery links, experimental forecasts, shellfish harvesting status, and contact information for reporting fish kills (FWC Fish Kill Hotline) or human health effects (Florida Poison Information Center). Information on broader water quality issues can be found at the state’s Protecting Florida Together website.
The next official red tide status report from the FWC is scheduled for release on Friday, April 18th.
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