A patchy bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists in Southwest Florida.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations in 12 samples collected from Sarasota County, background to high concentrations in 11 samples collected from or offshore of Charlotte County, background to high concentrations in 22 samples collected from or offshore of Lee County, and background to high concentrations in four samples collected from or offshore of Collier County.
Background concentrations were observed in one sample collected offshore of Hernando County. Additional samples collected throughout Florida over the past week did not contain K. brevis.
Over the past week, fish kills were reported in Southwest Florida in Sarasota County (Blackburn Bay, Lido Key, Manasota Beach, Nokomis Beach, Siesta Key, Venice Beach, Venice North Jetty), in and offshore of Charlotte County (Boca Grande Beach, Bull Bay, Englewood Beach, Gasparilla Sound, Lemon Bay, Stump Pass Beach), in Lee County (Boca Grande Pass, Gasparilla Island, North Captiva Pass, Captiva Beach, Useppa Beach), and in Collier County (Big Marco Pass, Caxambas Pass, Residents’ Beach, South Marco Beach).
Respiratory irritation was reported over the past week in Manatee County (6/22 at Coquina Beach), Sarasota County (6/21-6/24 and 6/28-6/29 at Manasota Beach; 6/22-6/23 and 6/29 at Lido Key; 6/21-6/27 at Nokomis; 6/21, 6/23-6/24, and 6/27 at Siesta Key; 6/21-6/22, 6/24-6/27, and 6/29 at Venice Beach; 6/21-6/27 at Venice North Jetty), and Lee County (6/26-6/29 at Captiva; 6/21-6/22, 6/25 and 6/27-6/29 at Gasparilla Island Range Lighthouse, 6/23 at Gasparilla Island State Park).
Report courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
