Bloom concentrations of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persist on Florida’s Southwest and Northwest coasts. Patchiness continues to occur in each region. Additional details are provided below.
Over the past week in Southwest Florida, K. brevis was observed in samples from and/or offshore of Pinellas to Monroe counties. Observations of >1,000,000 K. brevis cells per liter (“high” concentrations) occurred in Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties. “Medium” K. brevis concentrations were detected in these same counties and in or offshore of Pinellas, Lee and Collier counties. Relative to last week, K. brevis concentrations generally decreased in Pinellas County, and areas of Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties. Cell concentrations increased in other parts of Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties as well as in Collier County
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In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla counties. Bloom concentrations (“high” levels) were observed at only one site in Santa Rosa County.
Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in Brevard County only.
Fish Kills
In Southwest Florida, fish kill reports were received for Manatee, Sarasota, Collier and Lee counties. In Northwest Florida, fish kills were reported in Escambia and Gulf counties. Fish kills were not reported for the East Coast of Florida.
Respiratory Irritation
Respiratory irritation was reported over the past week in Southwest Florida (in Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties) and Northwest Florida (in Escambia and Okaloosa counties). Respiratory irritation was not reported on the East Coast of Florida.
Report courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
