Red tide detected near Longboat Key, remains strong in Tampa Bay
Red tide has made its presence devastatingly known over the past several days in Pinellas County, where, to the horror of residents, Tropical Storm Elsa washed tons of dead fish ashore in the St. Petersburg area. Wildlife officials believe the marine life was killed by blooms of the toxic algae that have persisted in Tampa Bay for weeks.
Local governments have since been scrambling to clean up the aftermath of the fish kill on beaches and in canals.
The red tide bloom, along with large blooms of the potentially harmful blue-green algae known as Lyngbya, have both occurred in the vicinity of a wastewater release from the Piney Point industrial site in Manatee County in May. Scientists and environmental advocates have warned that the nutrients in the wastewater, including nitrogen and phosphorous, could likely be fueling the algal blooms.
Red tide has persisted offshore of Manatee County in recent weeks around Port Manatee, Terra Ceia and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, but the algae has largely left coastlines and the beaches of Anna Maria Island untouched.
Water sampling efforts that measure for red tide were disrupted over the past week because of Tropical Storm Elsa, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. But the latest sample taken near Anna Maria Island, on July 2, showed that the algae was not present. A sample on July 5 at Palma Sola Causeway also showed the algae was at background level or not present.
However, as many residents remember from the last major red tide bloom in 2018, water conditions can change quickly. Red tide has affected Sarasota County’s southern beaches in recent weeks, and it is now showing up just south of Longboat Key. It was detected there in two recent water samples, including a bloom level concentration of the algae noted on Tuesday. At bloom level, effects like fish kills and respiratory irritation are more likely.
“... Sorry to report that red tide is being felt along the gulf shoreline on Longboat Key,” water advocacy group Suncoast Waterkeeper shared to Facebook on Friday. “The smell and irritation were unmistakable at mid-key around 2 p.m. today.”
On Sunday afternoon, dead fish and respiratory irritation were present at beaches on Longboat Key and Siesta Key, according to Mote Marine Laboratory’s live conditions beach tracker, which is updated by lifeguards. The tracker showed that Anna Maria Island beaches were free of red tide impacts.
North of the Skyway, red tide was detected at low, medium and high concentrations in the last several days offshore of Manatee County. And multiple samples confirmed that red tide remains at at high concentrations in Tampa Bay between Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, where the worst effects of the bloom have been seen.
Conditions prompted the National Weather Service to issue a statement advising people to stay out of the water for several days in coastal southern Pinellas County.
FWC is expected to issue its next red tide status report on Wednesday.
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 in Sarasota County recently issued some advice 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.
Fish kill reports that help state officials track red tide blooms can be made to FWC at 800-636-0511 or myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline.
This story was originally published July 11, 2021 at 3:01 PM.