Going to Manatee, Sarasota beaches this weekend? Here’s the latest FWC red tide report
Red tide activity along Manatee County waters won’t be a problem for weekend beach trips for a second straight week, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Friday report.
The organism causing red tide, Karenia brevis, was found at very low levels in one positive sample taken in Little Redfish Creek, which is 1.1 miles northwest of Lower Tampa Bay.
Eight other samples were negative or at background levels.
FWC said in its Friday report that the algae bloom was detected in background to medium levels in Sarasota, Pinellas and Lee counties.
For Sarasota County, a total of 18 samples were collected. Of those, only one registered at medium levels. That was inshore at the Venice Fishing Pier in southern Sarasota County.
The other Sarasota positive samples were taken at the following inshore locations:
- New Pass Dock in Sarasota Bay, two very low and two low samples
- Bay Dock in Sarasota Bay, one very low sample
- North Lido Beach, one very low sample
- Lido Beach Casino, one very low sample
- South Lido Park, one very low sample
- Siesta Beach, one low sample
- Nokomis Beach, one low sample
- North Jetty, one low sample
- Higel Marine Park at Roberts Bay, one low sample
- Venice Beach, one very low sample
The remaining samples collected in Sarasota County were negative or at background levels, FWC’s report said.
Fish kills were only reported in Sarasota County, FWC said, while respiratory irritation in people was reported in Pinellas and Sarasota counties.
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.
