State wildlife officials reported background levels of Karenia brevis, the organism responsible for red tide, in a single offshore sample collected in Southwest Florida over the past week.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s current conditions report, the single detection occurred offshore of Sarasota County. Satellite imagery from the University of South Florida and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science continues to be monitored to track nearshore and offshore water conditions.
Water samples collected across Northwest Florida and along the Florida East Coast showed no presence of K. brevis over the same period.
State authorities confirmed that no fish kills related to red tide were reported to the FWC Fish Kill Hotline or partner agencies. Additionally, no reports of respiratory irritation associated with the organism were documented anywhere in Florida during the past week.
Short-term forecasts covering a 3.5-day period, developed through the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides, indicate variable movement of surface and subsurface waters spanning from Pinellas County south to northern Monroe County.
State officials noted that the next red tide status report will be released on Friday, July 31.
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