Over the past week, toxic red tide blooms in the Gulf have been detected in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Lee and Collier counties, according to state wildlife officials.
In all of those counties, except Hillsborough, fish kills were reported. And in Pinellas, people have also cited respiratory irritations.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s midweek update on Wednesday, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was observed at:
- Low to medium concentrations in Pinellas
- Low to medium concentrations in Hillsborough
- Background to medium concentrations in Manatee
- Background concentrations in Sarasota
- Background to medium concentrations in Lee
- Background to medium concentrations in Collier
- Low concentrations offshore of Monroe
The FWC's report noted that samples collected from Charlotte County did not contain red tide.
