An edition of: WaterAtlas.orgPresented By: Sarasota County, USF Water Institute

Water-Related News

Red Tide Report 11-6-15

Patchy blooms of the Florida red tide organism are present along Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, and Gulf counties in Northwest Florida and along Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, and Lee counties in Southwest Florida.

In Northwest Florida over the past week, Karenia brevis was detected in background concentrations in one sample collected alongshore of Escambia County; in low to medium concentrations in 9 samples collected in, along, and offshore of Okaloosa County; and in low to high concentrations in 14 samples collected in and alongshore of Bay and Gulf counties. In Southwest Florida, Karenia brevis was detected in very low to low concentrations in 2 samples collected in and alongshore of Pinellas County; very low to medium concentrations in 3 samples collected in and alongshore of Manatee County; background to medium concentrations in 30 samples collected in, along, and offshore of Sarasota County; and background to low concentrations in 3 samples collected in and alongshore of Lee County. No samples were analyzed in the past week from Jefferson, Taylor, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, or Hillsborough counties along the Gulf Coast. FWC continues to receive reports of fish kills in bloom areas in both Northwest and Southwest Florida, although reports have slowed in volume. Respiratory irritation is possible throughout the areas where red tide is present.

Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides show alongshore westerly movement of bloom patches in Northwest Florida and little net movement of bloom patches in Southwest Florida over the next three days.

This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on the FWRI Red Tide website. The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines.

To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see the FWRI Red Tide Flickr page. Archived status maps can also be found on Flickr.