A bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists in Charlotte and Lee counties in Southwest Florida.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Manatee County, background to low concentrations in three samples collected from Charlotte County, and very low to low concentrations in eleven samples collected from Lee County.
Additional samples collected throughout Florida over the past week did not contain K. brevis.
A fish kill was reported in Lee County at Bowman’s Beach (1/24 and 1/25). Slight respiratory irritation was reported in Lee County at Causeway Islands Park (1/21) and at Bowman’s Beach (1/24).
Courtesy of of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission