Red tide is still a major issue on the west coast of Florida. Now, Pinellas County is asking for more than $1 million to help with the cleanup of dead fish and other marine life killed by the red tide toxin.
About 45 tons of dead fish was picked up between Friday and Tuesday.
Seeing all that dead fish you might wonder how red tide is impacting the local seafood. It’s important to remember you can’t see, taste or smell the toxin produced by the red tide organism.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says if you know the fish is from a red tide area it’s best to avoid eating it.
Their website goes more in depth about what you should do for the following:
- Shellfish: You can eat the edible parts of crabs, shrimp and lobsters, but don’t eat their digestive gland called the tomalley.
- Scallops: Locally harvested scallops are safe to eat, but only eat the muscle part and nothing else.
- Finfish: Yes, it is safe to eat local finfish, but you must fillet them first and do not eat the fish guts because that’s where toxins get stored.
The FWC says do not eat clams, oysters and mussels and never eat dead or distressed animals especially in the red tide area.
What if you’re buying fish from a grocery store or from a restaurant? The FWC says those places test for toxins so shellfish and fish should be safe.
The FWC also referred us to the Pinellas County Department of Health for answers. But they said they did not have anyone available for an interview on the topic on Thursday by our story deadline.
Their aquatic toxins website did echo the same findings from the FWC, however.
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