Red tide present near some Sarasota County beaches ahead of holiday weekend
The presence of red tide along some Sarasota County beaches is prompting health officials to post warning signs about the adverse affects of the toxic algae ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.
The organism that causes red tide, Karenia brevis, was detected in 13 samples off of Sarasota County over the past week, according to a weekly report from the the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Four of those samples contained bloom concentrations of the algae. At bloom concentrations, red tide impacts such as respiratory irritation and fish kills become more likely.
Respiratory irritation was reported in Sarasota over the past week, according to FWC, while fish kills were not.
According to available sample data on Wednesday, the strongest levels of red tide were detected along Sarasota County’s southerly beaches, from Nokomis and Venice down to the Englewood area. One sample collected at Turtle Beach had a “very low” concentration of K. brevis, while samples taken around Siesta Key and Longboat Key did not show significant levels.
“The beaches with elevated levels of red tide include Nokomis Beach, North Jetty, Venice Beach, Service Club, Venice Fishing Pier, Brohard Park, Caspersen, Manasota Key and Blind Pass,” said a public advisory from DOH-Sarasota on Wednesday afternoon.
Is there red tide near Anna Maria Island or Manatee County?
Red tide was not found at significant levels along Anna Maria Island beaches this week, according to recent sample data. The area has so far avoided major impacts from a bloom that has persisted in lower Tampa Bay for several weeks.
K. brevis was detected at “low” levels in one sample east of the island on Monday, while all other area samples showed that the organism was at trace levels or not present.
Farther north, a patchy bloom of the algae persists in waters offshore of Manatee County, including around the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Bishop Harbor and the open waters of Tampa Bay.
The bloom is currently strongest in waters off of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, according to recent samples, where “high” concentrations of K. brevis were observed over the past week.
FWC received community reports of fish kills in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties over the past week, and reports of respiratory irritation were received from Pinellas.
Water quality experts have noted that the current red tide bloom in Tampa Bay is untimely and the location unusual. Some suspect that nutrients from the Piney Point industrial wastewater discharge that occurred this spring may be feeding current algal blooms in the area.
Red tide safety
Exposure to elevated levels of red tide can cause people to experience burning or itching of the eyes, nose and throat, and it can cause more severe reactions for people with respiratory conditions like asthma. The symptoms usually stop once out of the affected area.
Health officials issued some advice Wednesday for beach visitors or residents who may encounter red tide:
Red tide’s affect on beach conditions is often patchy, meaning one beach can have unpleasant conditions while a nearby beach is free of impacts. Mote Marine Laboratory provides frequent updates on local beach conditions in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota area at visitbeaches.org.