Bradenton Herald
Red tide brings 3.5 tons of dead fish to Bradenton beaches. What to expect this weekend
Ryan Ballogg – March 10, 2023
Red tide’s presence remains strong this week on the Southwest Florida coast, including around Anna Maria Island and Manatee County.
On Tuesday, dead fish littered the waterline at Bradenton Beach, and frequent coughs could be heard from visitors who braved the sands.
The harmful algae bloom has persisted in area waters since fall, but it intensified in recent weeks with increased reports of respiratory irritation and dead fish from Pinellas County south to Monroe County.
Karenia brevis, the organism that causes red tide, was detected in 123 water samples along Florida’s west coast over the past week, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a mid-week update.
Eight of those samples were collected in Manatee County waters, where red tide levels ranged from low to high.
Medium levels of K. brevis were detected at five points on and around Anna Maria Island on Monday. At levels of medium and above, red tide is more likely to cause fish kills and breathing irritation.
Dead fish by the ton
County staff who clean beaches and waterways for red tide debris have seen a major increase in dead fish washing ashore over the past two weeks, according to Manatee County Parks operations manager Carmine DeMilio.
“It started getting intense,” said DeMilio, who leads the county’s red tide cleanup efforts.
The county began responding to the red tide bloom in November; between that time and mid-February, about a ton of dead fish were collected from area beaches.
Over the past two weeks alone, around 3.5 tons were collected, DeMilio estimates.
The county cleans beaches daily with beach rake tractors, and skimmer boats collect dead fish from the water.
“We start at 5 in the morning and go til around 11:30,” DeMilio said. “By that time, the beachgoers are on the beach and it’s hard to maneuver.”
DeMilio said a strong west wind began pushing more dead marine life ashore last weekend. The fallout has mostly been bait fish, he said, but some larger species like grouper and snook were mixed in.
“That was our battle — trying to keep the accumulation of fish coming to shore under control,” DeMilio said. “So when our visitors show up to our beaches, it’s clean and safe for them. That’s our goal daily.”
So far, DeMilio said this year’s bloom is mild compared to the extreme red tide that hit Southwest Florida in 2018. During the peak of that event, crews worked for 64 straight days to remove over 200 tons of dead fish.
“If we can handle that and we were successful with that, handling a smaller version is much easier,” DeMilio said. “It’s just like any maintenance that you do at your house. If you stay on it, it’s not going to accumulate.”
County staff said that conditions were beginning to improve on Wednesday as winds shifted.
Local red tide conditions
Tampa Bay area: Red tide conditions remained intense along Pinellas County’s shoreline this week, where medium and high concentrations were detected at multiple beaches from Honeymoon Island south to Mullet Key. Dead fish and respiratory irritation were reported along the coast.
Manatee County and Anna Maria Island: Medium levels of K. brevis were detected around Anna Maria Island in state water samples collected on Monday — an increase from last week. Dead fish and respiratory irritation were reported at all major public beaches.
Sarasota County: Along Sarasota County’s coast, red tide levels ranged from low to high this week, with the strongest concentrations around Longboat Key and Lido Key. Dead fish and respiratory irritation were reported at public beaches.
Southwest Florida: Red tide algae was also found at high levels offshore of Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties this week, as well as medium levels off of Monroe County.
Red tide forecast
University of South Florida’s short-term red tide forecast predicts that red tide’s presence on the coast will continue over the weekend. Very low to high levels are predicted for the entire coast line, including areas of intensity in Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties.
NOAA warns of a moderate to high risk of respiratory irritation over the next 36 hours in Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier. Chances increase when wind is blowing on or along the shore.
Red tide safety tips
The Florida Department of Health offers the following safety tips for when red tide is present:
- Look for informational signage posted at most beaches.
- Stay away from the water.
- Do not swim in waters with dead fish.
- Those with chronic respiratory problems should be especially cautious and stay away from these locations as red tide can affect your breathing.
- Do not harvest or eat mollusk and shellfish or distressed or dead fish from these locations. If caught live and healthy, finfish are safe to eat as long as they are filleted and the guts are discarded. Rinse fillets with tap or bottled water.
- Wash your skin and clothing with soap and fresh water if you have had recent contact with red tide.
- Keep pets and livestock away and out of the water, sea foam and dead sea life. If your pet swims in waters with red tide, wash your pet as soon as possible.
- Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner, making sure that the A/C filter is maintained according to manufacturer’s specifications.
- If outdoors near an affected location, residents may choose to wear masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.