Sarasota removes thousands of dead fish from beaches

A red tide bloom in south Sarasota County is suspected as the cause of a large fish kill stretching from Blind Pass Beach to Manasota Key.

In all, more than 9,000 pounds of dead fish have been picked up off Blind Pass Beach and Manasota Beach on Manasota Key over the last two days.

The dead fish started washing ashore earlier this week. Lifeguards and parks staff will continue to monitor all public beaches for effects of red tide and will respond as the need arises.

Residents and visitors with asthma or chronic respiratory impairments who are planning to visit these beaches are encouraged to be aware of conditions where red tide is being reported. For those who are susceptible, the symptoms associated with red tide tend to become more noticeable when the winds are blowing onshore.

Current beach conditions can be found online at Mote Marine Laboratory's web site, www.mote.org/beaches. Residents and visitors can also register to receive email reports about specific beaches. For telephone updates, call 941-BEACHES (232-2437) and press "1" for Sarasota County beaches.