The weekly red tide report

Over the past week, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was detected in 75 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in 14 samples from Southwest Florida: one in Pinellas County, two in Manatee County, one in Sarasota County, seven in Charlotte County, and three in Lee County. 

Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received from Southwest Florida over the past week from Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties. 

Over the past week, respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported via the Beach Conditions Reporting System and/or the Fish Kill Hotline in Southwest Florida in Manatee, Sarasota, and Collier counties. 

Forecasts predict net northwestern movement of surface waters and southeastern transport of subsurface waters in most areas over the next 3.5 days.