Is red tide a problem for Manatee beaches this weekend? Here’s the latest FWC report
Major red tide activity along Manatee County waters is not a problem for those seeking a getaway to the beach this weekend.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in Friday’s report that Karenia brevis, the organism causing red tide, was found in medium to high concentrations in just four samples along Southwest Florida’s shores: two in Pinellas County and two in Sarasota County.
In Manatee County, 10 samples were taken Monday and only one was positive. That sample was at very low levels inshore at Little Redfish Creek, which is approximately 1.1 miles northwest of lower Tampa Bay, FWC said.
The other nine samples were negative or at background levels.
The two samples detected at medium levels in Sarasota County were at Manasota Pass and Blind Pass Beach, which are located in Englewood.
The algae bloom did not yield fish kills or respiratory irritation to people in Manatee County, FWC’s report said.
FWC monitors red tide through satellite imagery and the latest daily sampling report can be found at https://myfwc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html or Mote Marine Laboratory’s Beach Conditions Reporting System at https://visitbeaches.org/map.
