Red Tide Status Report 10/17/2014

Red Tide Status Update: Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was not detected this week in or alongshore of Escambia, Gulf, Wakulla, Taylor, Dixie, Levy, and Pasco counties.  One sample collected inshore of Bay County contained background concentrations of K. brevis and another collected alongshore of Franklin County contained very low concentrations. In addition, one sample collected alongshore of Pinellas County contained background concentrations of K. brevis and one sample collected alongshore of Charlotte County contained very low concentrations.

Additional samples collected throughout Florida this week did not contain K. brevis.

FWC has received multiple reports of fish kills and reports of discolored water over the past month in the Indian River Lagoon system. Sampling has revealed bloom concentrations of the organism Pyrodinium bahamense.

Satellite images from the Optical Oceanography Laboratory at the University of South Florida show patches of high algae concentrations offshore of Franklin, Wakulla, Taylor, Dixie, Levy, and Citrus counties.
Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides (CPR), a partnership between the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, project S movement of surface waters and S/SE movement of bottom waters in the northeast Gulf of Mexico over the next 3 days.  

We would like your input! Please take the time to fill out a survey in regards to the importance of red tide topics to the public and the use and distribution of red tide reports at:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RedTideTopics

Tables and maps of sample results are available on our Web site: (http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/statewide/).     

The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines: (http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/contact/).

To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see our flickr page at (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwc) and click on “Harmful Algal Bloom Species”.                                                                                

The FWRI HAB group in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory now have a facebook page.  Please come like our page and learn interesting facts concerning red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida at:  http://facebook.com/FLHABs

This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on our Web site: (http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/statewide/). The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines: (http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/contact/).

To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see our flickr page at (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myfwc) and click on “Harmful Algal Bloom Species”.

The FWRI HAB group in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory now have a facebook page. Please come like our page and learn interesting facts concerning red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida at: http://facebook.com/FLHABs.