Current Conditions
Over the past week, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was detected in 34 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were observed in five samples from Southwest Florida: one from Charlotte County and four from Lee County. We continue to use chlorophyll satellite imagery (USF, NOAA NCCOS) to track offshore patches suspected to contain K. brevis, although images for Southwest Florida have been obscured by cloud cover over the past few days. Based on satellite imagery from January 28, chlorophyll patches were observed to have intensified since last week, covering areas offshore of Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties. An ongoing, offshore research cruise has confirmed the presence of K. brevis in these areas of high chlorophyll signatures.
Additional details are provided below.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to very low concentrations in Pinellas County, low concentrations in Hillsborough County, background to low concentrations in Manatee and Sarasota counties, very low and medium concentrations in Charlotte County, very low to high concentrations in Lee County, and background to very low concentrations in Collier County.
In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at very low concentrations offshore of Hernando 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 and other partners over the past week for Southwest Florida (Sarasota, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties).
Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported over the past week in Southwest Florida (Sarasota, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties).
Red Tide Status Report Courtesy of FWC