The Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists at background to very low concentrations in Southwest Florida.
Over the past week, Karenia brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Pinellas County; background to very low concentrations in six samples collected from Sarasota County; and background to very low concentrations in six samples collected from Lee County.
One sample collected from the East Coast (Brevard County) contained background concentrations of K. brevis. Additional samples collected throughout Florida over the past week did not contain K. brevis.
Forecasts for Southwest Florida by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict net offshore movement of surface waters, and southern, onshore movement of subsurface waters from Pinellas to northern Monroe counties over the next three days.
Report courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
