New batch of Florida red tide offers research opportunities

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating if reddish streaks in the Gulf photographed near Collier County contain Florida red tide cells.

The dramatic photos were taken by Ralph Arwood of LightHawk Conservation Flying on Wednesday and stretch for miles along the coast. Low to medium red tide levels have been detected this week in water samples taken from Pinellas to Lee County.

Seven samples from Venice Beach to Brohard Beach near Venice had low levels. Blind Pass between Captiva Island and Sanibel Island had medium concentrations; very low levels were found near Pinellas County from Indian Shores Beach to Redington Beach.

The last significant Florida red tide episode persisted for nearly a year and a half, from October 2017 to February 2019. The microorganism known as Karenia brevis killed tens of thousands of marine animals and caused respiratory irritatio