High risk of red tide irritation in Sarasota, data shows. Here’s latest for Bradenton

Ryan Ballogg
·4 min read
6

Weather and health officials continue to warn about the hazards of red tide as the harmful algae bloom worsened along the Southwest Florida coast this week, particularly in Sarasota County waters.

The state’s latest samples show the algae is also still present in waters off of Anna Maria Island and coastal Manatee County, though levels are lower than Sarasota.

Fish kills and respiratory irritation were reported this week in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a Wednesday red tide update.

The algae species that causes red tide, Karenia brevis, produces brevetoxins, a group of neurotoxins that kill fish and other marine life and can make humans sick.

Those with asthma and other respiratory conditions can become seriously ill from red tide exposure. For most people, symptoms subside when they leave the affected area.

Red tides are naturally occurring the Gulf of Mexico, where they typically bloom in the late summer and fall. A growing body of evidence suggests that human pollution sources can worsen or prolong red tides once they get close to land.

Red tide’s presence at area beaches is spotty and changes with wind directions and tides. A beach may look and smell pristine one day and be unpleasant the next as natural forces move the algae towards shore.

On Monday, high levels of red tide (more than 1 million cells per liter) were observed in waters up and down Sarasota County’s coastline, including at Sarasota Bay, Lido Key, Nokomis Beach, Siesta Key, Venice Beach, Manasota Beach and Blind Pass Beach.

Samples showed very low to low levels of algae at the north end of Anna Maria Island, while medium levels were found farther south at Longboat Pass and Longboat Key.

Red tide forecast

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts the respiratory threat from red tide. On Wednesday, NOAA warned that beachgoers in Manatee, Sarasota Lee and Collier counties could experience moderate levels of respiratory irritation over the next 36 hours, with lesser chances possible in Pinellas and Charlotte counties.

A red tide forecast from University of South Florida predicts that very low to medium levels of the algae will continue to circulate around Anna Maria Island through this weekend.

At medium levels, fish kills and respiratory irritation are likely. High levels of red tide are predicted to continue along Sarasota County’s coast.

‘Not what you want to see’

People have taken to social media to share images of the marine life showing up dead on area beaches as the bloom continues.

“Not what you want to see! Red tide is producing fish kills on Siesta Beach in Sarasota County,” 10 Tampa Bay meteorologist Grant Gilmore shared to Facebook Monday, along with pictures of dead fish.

Red tide safety and resources

FDOH-Manatee offers the following red tide safety tips:

  • Look for informational signage posted at most beaches.

  • Stay away from the water.

  • Do not swim in waters with dead fish.

  • Those with chronic respiratory problems should be especially cautious and stay away from these locations as red tide can affect your breathing.

  • Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish or distressed or dead fish from these locations. If caught live and healthy, finfish are safe to eat as long as they are filleted and the guts are discarded. Rinse fillets with tap or bottled water.

  • Wash your skin and clothing with soap and fresh water if you have had recent contact with red tide.

  • Keep pets and livestock away and out of the water, sea foam and dead sea life. If your pet swims in waters with red tide, wash your pet as soon as possible.

  • Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner, making sure that the A/C filter is maintained according to manufacturer’s specifications.

  • If outdoors near an affected location, residents may choose to wear masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

Several online resources make it easy to check whether a particular counties, beaches or coastlines in Southwest Florida are currently affected by a red tide bloom.

NOAA’s Red Tide Respiratory Forecast is updated several times a day with the level of red tide risk at specific beaches along the Gulf Coast, from Pinellas County through Collier County. Visit habforecast.gcoos.org.

Mote Marine Laboratory’s Beach Conditions Report is updated frequently by lifeguards and includes reports of red tide conditions, including respiratory irritation and dead fish, as well as other hazards on local beaches. Visit visitbeaches.org.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issues weekly red tide reports with conditions by county and maintains a map of red tide sampling around the state. Visit myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide.

University of South Florida’s Red Tide Prediction and Tracking center provides short term forecasts of red tide’s movement around Tampa Bay and the west coast of Florida. Visit ocgweb.marine.usf.edu/hab_tracking.