FWC RED TIDE REPORT NOVEMBER 20, 2024
VIEW MAP OF FLORIDA COUNTIES BY CLICKING ON "READ MORE" BELOW.
Current Conditions
Over the past week, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was detected in 125 samples collected from Northwest and Southwest Florida. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were observed in 24 samples: one offshore of Pasco County, four offshore of Pinellas County, one from Hillsborough County, five from and offshore of Manatee County, 10 from Sarasota County, two from and offshore of Charlotte County, and one from Lee County. Light microscopy and/or automated shipboard analysis of samples collected between 11/9 to 11/16 confirmed the presence of K. brevis from and/or offshore of Pasco to Monroe counties. Chlorophyll satellite imagery (USF, NOAA) continues to be dynamic, with imagery from 11/19 showing patches of elevated chlorophyll along and/or offshore of Pinellas, Charlotte, and Lee counties.
Additional details are provided below.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, low to medium concentrations in and offshore of Hillsborough County, background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties, and background to very low concentrations offshore of Collier County.
In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at medium concentrations in one sample collected offshore of Pasco County.
Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline and other partners over the past week for Southwest Florida (offshore of Pinellas County and along Manatee and Sarasota counties).
RespiratorySystem irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported over the past week in Southwest Florida (Sarasota County). For forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf of Mexico Harmful Algal Blooms Forecast.
Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict northward transport followed by a reversal to predominantly southward transport for surface and subsurface waters over the next 3.5 days, from Pinellas County to northern Monroe County.
The next status report will be issued on Friday, November 22nd. Please check our daily sampling map, which can be accessed via the online status report on our Red Tide Current Status page. For more information on algal blooms and water quality, please visit Protecting Florida Together.
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