Florida environmental agencies are closely monitoring a minor detection of Karenia brevis, the organism responsible for red tide, in Southwest Florida. Over the past week, background concentrations of K. brevis were identified in a single sample collected from Lee County.
This isolated detection is currently at what is considered “background concentrations,” meaning the presence of the organism is at very low levels and typically does not cause adverse effects. For reference, K. brevis is naturally present in the Gulf of Mexico at these low concentrations.
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Importantly, no Karenia brevis was observed in samples from Northwest Florida or along the Florida East Coast during the same period, indicating a localized presence.
Furthermore, there have been no reports of fish kills suspected to be linked to red tide, nor have any cases of respiratory irritation associated with red tide been reported to the FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline or other partners over the past week. Respiratory irritation, a common symptom during more significant red tide events, can cause coughing, sneezing, and throat irritation.
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Authorities are utilizing advanced tools, including chlorophyll satellite imagery from the University of South Florida (USF) and NOAA NCCOS, to track both nearshore and offshore conditions, providing a broader picture of potential bloom movements.
Looking ahead, forecasts from the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for areas from Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict a northwestern movement of surface waters and southeastern transport of subsurface waters over the next 3.5 days.
This suggests that any potential movement of the detected K. brevis in Southwest Florida would be influenced by these patterns.
The situation remains under close observation, with the next status report expected to be issued on Friday, June 27.
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