The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 69 samples the week ending Dec. 18, including in two samples from Manatee County where bloom concentrations were greater than 100,000 cells per liter.
K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Manatee County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, very low to high concentrations in and offshore of Hillsborough County, background to high concentrations in Sarasota County, low concentrations in Charlotte County, background to low concentrations in Lee County and background concentrations in Collier County.
K. brevis was not observed elsewhere in the state.
Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received from Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties.
In Manatee, reports included dead stingrays at Coquina and Cortez beaches in Bradenton Beach and unidentified species on the Gulf coast in Holmes Beach.
Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported in Manatee, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties.
For more information, go online to myfwc.com.
— Lisa Neff