USA Today
Red tide has overtaken much of Florida’s southwest coast. See the hot spots.
Orlando Mayorquin and Kimberly Miller – March 8, 2023
Dead fish are washing up on the Southwest Florida coast thanks to a toxic algae known as red tide that can pose a risk to humans.
The algae, which is known formally as the single-cell Karenia brevis, has concentrated near Tampa and neighboring communities.
Scientists have found the algae at rates ranging from 10,000 cells per liter to more than 1 million cells per liter – levels that result in fish kills and breathing difficulties in exposed humans, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The FWC said Wednesday that red tide was detected at concentrations greater than 100,000 cells per liter in samples from the following counties: Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier and Monroe.
The agency said red tide becomes harmful to people at 10,000 cells per liter.
Red tides produce a toxin called brevetoxin that can make humans ill if they breathe the toxin in through sea spray or get wet with contaminated water.
The illness can cause a range of symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including:
- Coughing and sneezing
- Shortness of breath
- Eye, skin, and throat irritation
- Asthma attacks
The FWC it had received multiple reports of dead fish respiratory irritation at communities through the Southwest Florida. One community, Indian Rocks Beach, decided to cancel a beach festival slated for next month amid red tide concerns.
Red tides are a naturally occurring phenomenon that have been observed in the Gulf of Mexico since the 1800s. Nascent studies have connected nutrient-laden runoff from farms and developments to increased levels of red tide along the coast.They begin to form on the coast beginning in the fall, and typically clear up by Spring.
Here’s where you can find red tide in Florida.