Southwest Florida ends the year free of red tide

Only trace amounts of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, have been detected in Florida waters, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports.

SARASOTA — A Florida red tide bloom that began in September has subsided, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports.

For now, it’s all gone.

Florida residents were concerned about a comeback of the poisonous algae that lasted from 2017-2019 and that stretched from Pinellas County to Monroe County. It killed generations of fish and hundreds of Florida’s beloved manatees, sea turtles and dolphins.

This year’s red tide was typical of a “normal” red tide year, experts say.

Historically, red tide can develop from August to December and disappears in the cool winter months, from December to March. A bloom persisting past December can occur, especially when the average temperature is above normal, as it has been the past several months.

Recent water samples tested by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found that bloom conditions no longer exist from Marco Island to Venice, where the red tide organism resurfaced beginning in August. It grew to bloom conditions from September-November before quickly dwindling in December.