Red tide has resurfaced in the Panhandle, bringing bloom-level concentrations of algae and reports of dead fish to the region’s coastline, according to the latest state data.
Over the past week, monitors identified the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, in 25 water samples collected across Northwest Florida. Of those, four samples showed “bloom concentrations,” defined as exceeding 100,000 cells per liter.
The activity is currently centered in Bay and Gulf counties, where concentrations ranged from background levels to medium. Franklin County also recorded the presence of the organism, though concentrations there remained at background to very low levels.
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Satellite imagery from December 11 corroborated the water samples, revealing elevated chlorophyll levels—a key indicator of algal density—in Franklin County and specifically within St. Joseph Bay in Gulf County.
The bloom is already impacting local marine life. Officials confirmed that fish kills suspected to be caused by the red tide were reported in Gulf County this week. However, residents and beachgoers have been spared one of the phenomenon’s most irritating symptoms so far: no respiratory irritation has been reported in the affected areas.
While the Northwest coast manages the outbreak, the rest of the state appears to be clear. Sampling detected no Karenia brevis in Southwest Florida or along the Florida East Coast over the last seven days.
Looking ahead to the weekend, short-term forecasts predict variable movement of surface waters from Bay County down to northern Monroe County. Subsurface currents are expected to show minimal net movement, with a slight drift toward the southeast.
The next status update is scheduled for release on Friday, December 19.
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