Red Tide Levels in the Gulf?

[gatorbill]

just curious if anyone knew if the red tide was bad again this year in the Gulf...i haven’t heard much talk about it this year but saw a quick blurb about a bloom near Collier County (Naples)> Last year, I dove near Tampa and St Pete and there was a huge dead zone...just curious if anyone knew if it was happening again this year? I can’t seem to find much on the web...

 

[idive2]

Yeah, I saw the news last night about the red tide in collier county. I was
in Boca Grande (charlotte county) two weekends ago and developed a light
cough which I assumed was red tide related so yes, it appears the red tide
continues to be an unwelcome guest in the gulf this year.

 

[mike_s]

I don't know if it comes this early.

in the panhandle, it was bad the last of Sept and first of Oct.

There is a log of algae/june-grass (in my opinion). Some folks have said that implies that there will be a bad red tide this year. but that's just "old farmer talk" to some extent I think. I don't know..

 

[michaelb51]

http://floridamarine.org/features/view_article.asp?id=9670
June 7 report:

Southwest Region: A bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, is currently present along the southwest coast in Lee and Collier counties. Background to medium concentrations were detected in Pine Island Sound, however the presence of K. brevis is patchy and not the cause of cloudy water conditions currently being reported in this area. Alongshore in Lee County (between southern Sanibel Island and Lovers Key) concentrations ranged from not present to low. In Collier County medium and high concentrations were detected at Lely Barefoot Beach and Clam Pass respectively. Offshore samples collected this week between Sanibel Island and Naples contained the marine cyanobacteria Trichodesmium and K. brevis concentrations ranging from not present to medium. Multiple reports of fish kills and respiratory irritation have been received from Ft. Myers Beach to Naples. Discolored water is possible in Manatee County due to a non-toxic diatom bloom in the area.


The FWRI Red Tide Status Line is now available to callers to hear a recording detailing red tide conditions throughout the state. FWRI updates the recording each Friday by 5 p.m. after sampling efforts for the week have been completed and analyzed. Red Tide Status Line: (866) 300-9399 (toll-free inside Florida only); (727) 552-2448 (outside Florida).

 

[ReefGuy]

I know cbulla has been up to his nostrils in it lately. Colin, u still shoveling snook?

There was none at Venice Beach as of yesterday.

 

[CBulla]

Despite the propoganda on TV saying its passed on, it is fairly obvious that the K.brevis outbreak is still in swing out at Lovers Key, though noticably lighter than 2 weeks ago. On the flip side, I'm still feeling the effects of being by it every day which is the sinus pain and rawish throat. I'm thinking about moving to Koreshan State Park on the other side of the bay to get away from it.

Fish are still washing up, well, those who've made it this long anyway. The baitfish and tarpon have thinned out considerably. We're seeing more crabs on the beach now (horseshoe crabs primarily).