Recent sampling efforts have revealed the presence of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, in 11 samples collected from Southwest Florida over the past week. However, concentrations remain relatively low, ranging from background to very low levels in Pinellas County, background levels in Manatee and Charlotte counties, and background to low levels in Sarasota County.
Fortunately, no red tide has been observed in Northwest or East Coast Florida during the same period.
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Despite the low concentrations, there have been some reports of fish kills potentially linked to red tide in Sarasota County. Additionally, respiratory irritation, also possibly related to red tide, was reported at Siesta Key Beach and Venice North Jetty Beach in Sarasota County between September 17th and 19th.
Forecasts and Resources
To stay up-to-date on current beach conditions, residents and visitors can consult Mote Marine Laboratory’s Beach Conditions Reporting System. For those interested in forecasts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf of Mexico Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast provides valuable insights.
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The USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides has also issued a forecast for the next 3.5 days, predicting variable movement of surface waters and a net east to southeast movement of subsurface waters in the region spanning from Pinellas to northern Monroe counties.
Next Update and Additional Information
The next official status report on red tide conditions will be released on Friday, September 27th. In the meantime, the daily sampling map, accessible through the online status report on the FWC Red Tide Current Status page, provides ongoing updates.
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