Red Tide Report 01-10-18

A bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists from Sarasota to Lee counties in Southwest Florida.

In Southwest Florida over the past week, Karenia brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Pinellas County, background to medium concentrations in seventeen samples collected from Sarasota County, background to medium concentrations in nine samples collected from Charlotte County, and low to medium concentrations in eleven samples collected from Lee County.

Additional samples collected throughout Florida over the past week did not contain K. brevis.

Reports of a fish kill (Sarasota County) and slight respiratory irritation (Sarasota, Pinellas, and Lee counties) were received over the past week. Forecasts for Southwest Florida by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict northern, alongshore transport of surface waters, and minimal net transport of subsurface waters from Pinellas to Lee counties over the next three days

This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on the FWRI Red Tide website. 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.

To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see the FWRI Red Tide Flickr page. Archived status maps can also be found on Flickr.       

The FWRI HAB group in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory now have a Facebook page.  Please like our page and learn interesting facts concerning red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida.