Low levels of red tide found in Manatee County waters, state says

“Background” and “very low” concentration of the organism that causes red tide have been found in waters off of Manatee County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported Friday.

Officials found a “very low” concentration in a sample collected Monday from near the Longboat Pass boat ramp on Sarasota Bay. “Very low” means there were between 1,000 to 10,000 cells of the Karina.brevis organism per liter of water.

At that level, respiratory irritation is possible. Shellfish harvesting is closed when the level exceeds 5,000 cells.

A background level — less than 1,000 cells per liter — was detected in water collected from near Fletcher Point on lower Tampa Bay. At that level, there is usually no effect on humans.

K.Brevis was not detected in water collected at four other locations in Manatee.

However, it was detected at “very low” or “low” concentrations in several samples collected in southern Sarasota Charlotte and Lee counties. At one location in Lee County, south of Blind Pass, K.brevis was found at a “medium” level.

North of Manatee, background or very low levels of K.brevis were found at four locations, including in Clearwater Pass and off Indian Shores Beach.