A bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists in Southwest Florida from southern Pinellas to Collier counties.
Over the past week, Karenia brevis was observed at very low to medium concentrations in five samples collected from Pinellas County; very low to medium concentrations in eleven samples collected from Manatee County; low to medium concentrations in twenty-six samples collected from Sarasota County; background to high concentrations in thirteen samples collected from Charlotte County; background to low concentrations in sixteen samples collected from Lee County; and very low to medium concentrations in five samples collected from Collier County.
Additional samples collected throughout Florida over the past week did not contain K. brevis.
Fish kills have been reported at Manasota Beach (Charlotte County), Bonita Beach (Lee County), and Marco Island (Collier County) over the past week. Respiratory irritation has been reported in Manatee County (at Coquina Beach), Sarasota County (Lido Key, Siesta Key, Venice North Jetty, Venice Beach), Charlotte County (Manasota Beach), and Collier County (Naples Pier, and South Marco Beach). Forecasts for Southwest Florida by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides predict net southern movement of surface waters and net southern, onshore movement of subsurface waters from Pinellas to northern Monroe counties over the next three days.
