Over the past week, red tide was detected in 16 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were not observed. However, cells were present in samples along or offshore of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Charlotte counties in Southwest Florida.
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. We will continue to monitor closely.
Additional details are provided below.
- In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in Pinellas County, background to low concentrations in Hillsborough County, background to very low concentrations offshore of Manatee County, and background and very low concentrations in Charlotte County.
- In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
- Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
A fish kill suspected to be related to red tide was reported to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline and other partners over the past week for Southwest Florida at Sarasota County (Turtle Beach on February 27)…