Over the past week, red tide was detected in two samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast.
We continue to use chlorophyll satellite imagery (USF, NOAA NCCOS) to help track nearshore and offshore conditions, and the patches of elevated surface chlorophyll that we have been following over the past few months appear to have dissipated (see Southwest Florida map in the link below). We will continue to monitor this closely.
Additional details are provided below.
Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline and other partners over the past week for Southwest Florida in Sarasota County.
Respiratory Irritation suspected to be related to red tide was not reported over the past week in Florida. For forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf Coast Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast.
Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict northern movement of surface waters in most areas and variable transport of subsurface waters over the next 3.5 days.
The next status report will be issued on Friday, March 21. Please check our daily sampling map, which can be accessed via the online status report on our Red Tide Current Status page. For more information on algal blooms and water quality, please visit Protecting Florida Together.
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.
Comments
No comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.