Red tide has returned to the Tampa Bay area.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported that a bloom of the organism that causes red tide was detected over the past week off Sarasota and Pinellas counties.
Respiratory irritation was also reported in Sarasota.
Red tide was first detected off Collier county in late September and slowly made its way north to Lee and Charlotte counties.
Scientists said they found medium concentrations of the organism in Sarasota County and very low concentrations off Pinellas.
