FWC RED TIDE REPORT FEBRUARY 5, 2025
NOW IN LEY COUNTY
VIEW MAP OF FLORIDA COUNTIES BY CLICKING ON "READ MORE" BELOW.
Current Conditions
Current Conditions
Over the past week, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was detected in 111 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were observed in 32 samples from Southwest Florida: one from Charlotte County, 18 from and offshore of Lee County, four from and offshore of Collier County, and nine offshore of Monroe County. We continue to use chlorophyll satellite imagery (USF, NOAA NCCOS) to track offshore conditions, and imagery from February 4 revealed persisting chlorophyll patches in areas along and offshore of Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties. Sampling conducted during a recent research survey helped confirm the presence of K. brevis in these areas of high chlorophyll signatures. Additional details are provided below.
Over the past week, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was detected in 111 samples collected from Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were observed in 32 samples from Southwest Florida: one from Charlotte County, 18 from and offshore of Lee County, four from and offshore of Collier County, and nine offshore of Monroe County. We continue to use chlorophyll satellite imagery (USF, NOAA NCCOS) to track offshore conditions, and imagery from February 4 revealed persisting chlorophyll patches in areas along and offshore of Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties. Sampling conducted during a recent research survey helped confirm the presence of K. brevis in these areas of high chlorophyll signatures. Additional details are provided below.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to low concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties, background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Charlotte County, background to high concentrations in and offshore of both Lee and Collier counties, and low to medium concentrations offshore of Monroe County.
In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected offshore of Levy 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 (Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties).
Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported over the past week in Southwest Florida (Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe counties). 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 variable movement of surface and subsurface waters over the next 3.5 days.
The next status report will be issued on Friday, February 7. 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.
This information, including maps and reports with additional details, is also available on the FWRI Red Tide website. The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines.
To learn more about various organisms that have been known to cause algal blooms in Florida waters, see the FWRI Red Tide Flickr page. Archived status maps can also be found on Flickr.
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