RED TIDE REPORT FOR WEEK OF 2/24/2023

Over the past week, the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was detected in 107 samples from and offshore of Southwest Florida, and one from Florida’s East Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 59 samples from Southwest Florida: five in Manatee County, 18 in Sarasota County, nine in Charlotte County, 21 in and offshore of Lee County, five in and offshore of Collier County, and one offshore of Monroe County. The FWC continues to track this event, and recent images indicate the presence of elevated chlorophyll patches offshore of Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties.

In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at very low to high concentrations in Sarasota County, very low to high concentrations in Charlotte County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Lee County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of Collier County, and background to medium concentrations offshore of Monroe County.