This red tide update has bad news for Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation is reporting a sharp increase in red tide in the Gulf of Mexico off Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, reversing recent declines in the presence of the afflicting algae.

The FWC’s latest update Wednesday afternoon, showed “high” concentrations of Karenia brevis cells, the organism responsible for red tide, in samples taken from waters off Manatee County. Last week, FWC reported “low” and “background” concentrations.

Respiratory irritation and fish kills are still being reported in Manatee County, according to the FWC report.

Samples were taken at Bean Point in Anna Maria, near Cortez and Coquina beaches in Bradenton Beach and off Longboat Key. The Bean Point and Coquina Beach locations tested at medium levels — between 100,000 and 1 million cells per liter of water — while Longboat Key and Cortez Beach tested above the 1 million mark.

The current red tide, which hit Anna Maria Island in early August, has taken a heavy toll on local beaches and the businesses that depend on the Gulf Coast’s usually crystal clear water and sand. Tons of dead fish have been scooped from beaches, and murky water and other signs of red tide have dampened the the size of the crowds.

In recent weeks, however, conditions seemed to have improved, even as FWC and others continued to report the presence of red tide.

There was some speculation late last week that the remnants of Hurricane Willa could push red tide back along the beaches, but it’s too soon to tell why red tide forecasts from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration were off track. The forecast was for a continued low presence of red tide in the area through the end of the week.

Experts continue to search for answers, but, “If and when the current bloom in Florida will end remains an open-ended question,” according to NOAA’s website. “Red tides can last as little as a few weeks or longer than a year. They may even subside and then reoccur.”

The current bloom in the Gulf first appeared in October 2017.

Officials were not available late Wednesday to answer questions regarding red tide’s unanticipated return in intensity.