ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — FWC water sampling shows Pinellas County beaches with Red Tide. The concentrations of red tide are high in some areas.
Along St. Pete Beach, 1,500 pounds of dead fish were collected from Thursday to Sunday. On Monday, an additional 200 pounds of dead fish were collected.
The city of St. Pete Beach's public information officer, Sarah Laracuente, said the city's beach team bags the dead fish, then the city's waste services provider collects the bags.
With fewer fish washing ashore, Laracuente said her hope is it's a good signing, meaning the algae bloom is moving away from St. Pete Beach shores.
Before you head to the beach, you'll want to check red tide conditions. Pinellas County is now offering another way to make sure your trip to the beach is safe.
This week, Pinellas County began daily sampling for red tide. That sampling is in addition to FWC's sampling. Posted on the county's website, you can now view daily updated results through its GIS map.
Pinellas County Senior Public Relations Coordinator Tony Fabrizio said the county decided to do its own testing after seeing consistent levels of red tide in the area. The new data map went live Tuesday afternoon.
If you see dead fish, FWC asks you report it. Submit a report of a fish kill online, or call the Fish Kill Hotline: 800-636-0511.
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.