Red Tide Current Status

Current Conditions

Over the past week, the red tide organism Karenia brevis was detected in 72 samples along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 cells/liter) were present in nine samples: six in Pinellas County and three in Manatee County. We continue to use satellite imagery (USF and NOAA NCCOS) to help track this patchy event. Additional details are provided below.

• In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Pinellas County, background to medium concentrations in Manatee County, very low concentrations in Sarasota County, very low concentrations in Charlotte County, background to low concentrations in Lee County, and background to very low concentrations in and offshore of Collier County.
• In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background and very low concentrations in Gulf County, and background to very low concentrations in Pasco County.
• Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.

Fish Kills

Reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received from Southwest Florida over the past week from Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties. For more details, please visit https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/ and https://visitbeaches.org/.

Respiratory Irritation

Over the past week, respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported via the Beach Conditions Reporting System and/or the Fish Kill Hotline in Southwest Florida in Pinellas, Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties. For recent and current information at individual beaches, please visit https://visitbeaches.org/ and for forecasts that use FWC and partner data, please visit https://habforecast.gcoos.org/.

Forecast

Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict variable movement of surface waters and net southeastern transport of subsurface waters in most areas over the next 3.5 days.

View a larger map (Mar 22, 2023).

The next status report will be issued on Friday, March 24^th. Please check our daily sampling map which can be accessed from the top of this page.

Archived status maps can be found in our Flickr gallery. Previous regional status reports and maps can be found on our red tide resources page.

Latest Red Tide Status Report Available by Phone

Call 866-300-9399 at any time from anywhere in Florida to hear a recording about red tide conditions throughout the state. Callers outside of Florida can dial 727-502-4956. Standard calling charges apply.

Reports are updated on Friday afternoon except during holidays, in which case the report will be released on the closest day. Additional information, if available, is provided on Wednesday afternoon. To receive an e-mail when the current status has been updated, visit our subscription area.

Additional Information

For additional information about red tide and the current red tide bloom, including information on how to report a fish kill or other wildlife effects, consult health authorities about human exposure, or locate other resources, visit our Red Tide-Related Hotlines and Information Sources article.

Blue-Green Algae Bloom Information

Additional information regarding the current status of algal blooms in South Florida is being consolidated and posted on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s website: https://floridadep.gov/dear/algal-bloom.