A patchy bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists in Southwest Florida from southern Pinellas to northern Collier counties.
Over the past week, Karenia brevis was observed at very low concentrations in one sample collected from Pinellas County; background to very low concentrations in five samples collected from Manatee County; background to medium concentrations in twenty-two samples collected from Sarasota County; very low to medium concentrations in fourteen samples collected from Charlotte County; background to low concentrations in twenty-seven samples collected from Lee County; and very low to low concentrations in four samples collected from Collier County.
Additional samples collected throughout Florida over the past week did not contain K. brevis.
Report courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission