Red Tide Status Update (November 21, 2025)

Current Conditions:
Over the past week, the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was observed in 31 samples from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were observed in 12 samples from Northwest Florida. We continue to use satellite imagery (USF and NOAA NCCOS) to help track nearshore and offshore conditions. Imagery from November 20 revealed slightly elevated chlorophyll levels in Northwest Florida from Bay County to Franklin County.

Additional details are provided below.

• In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in Pinellas County, offshore of Hillsborough County, and in Lee County. K. brevis was observed at very low concentrations in one sample collected offshore of Collier County.
• In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations in Bay County, background to high concentrations in Gulf County, and low concentrations in Franklin County.
• Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.

Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported to FWC's Fish Kill Hotline or other partners over the past week in Northwest Florida (Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties).

Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported over the past week in Northwest Florida (Mexico Beach in Bay County and Saint Joseph Bay Beach in Gulf County). For forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf Coast Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast.

Short-term (3.5-day) forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict variable movement of surface waters along the Gulf Coast. Subsurface current transport is minimal from Bay County to Pasco County and southeastern, in most areas, from Pinellas County to northern Monroe County.

Due to the upcoming holiday, the next status report will be issued on Tuesday, November 25. Please check our daily sampling map, which can be accessed via the online status report on our Red Tide Current Status page. For more information on algal blooms and water quality, please visit Protecting Florida Together.

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.       

Please follow our facebook page for status updates and other interesting facts about red tide and other harmful algal blooms in Florida.