Red tide is found in Manatee, Sarasota, and surrounding counties, FWC says
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has seen an increase in harmful algae across Southwest Florida and has detected red tide in multiple counties, including Manatee County, according to a news release issued Friday.
This week, red tide was found in various samples taken in Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties:
▪ Manatee County: One sample taken offshore showed background concentrations of the red tide.
▪ Sarasota County: 22 samples taken from the county and offshore showed background to high concentrations.
▪ Charlotte County: One sample from the county showed extremely low values.
▪ Lee County: One sample taken offshore showed background concentrations.
FWC said the passage of Hurricane Ian through the region has made testing the waters challenging.
To better understand what is happening with red tide in these areas, the FWC Center for Red Tide Research, USF-College of Marine Science and Mote Marine Laboratory have each deployed a glider equipped with sensors to aid in red tide tracking, the release said.
Red tide is a naturally occurring algal bloom in Florida’s Gulf Coast since the 1840s. But because the algae create a toxin, it can result in a number of issues for people and marine animals, including fish death.
Some beachgoers can develop skin irritation and eye burning due to the red tide. Respiratory irritation can occur in people who have respiratory problems, FWC said.
The latest data from the FWC shows that there have been no reports of fish deaths in Southwest Florida connected to red tide in the past week.
For more information on red tide, go to https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/
