A bloom of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists on the Florida Gulf Coast and in Tampa Bay.
For the week ending July 5, bloom concentrations greater than 100,000 cells per liter were observed in 83 samples, including four from Manatee County.
K. brevis was observed at background to high concentrations in Manatee County, low to high concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, very low to high concentrations in and offshore of Hillsborough County, very low to high concentrations in Sarasota County, low concentrations in Charlotte County and background to low concentrations in Lee County.
In Northwest Florida, K. brevis was observed in Pasco County.
Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported in Hernando, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota and Manatee counties.
In Manatee, fish kills were reported from Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Longboat Key. Finds included stingrays, mullet, grunts and baitfish.
Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported in Manatee, Hernando, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.
For more information, go online to myfwc.com/research/redtide.