ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As red tide continues sweeping across the Tampa Bay area, dead sea life is being removed from our shores by the ton.
On Thursday, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said 800 tons have been removed from the city in recent weeks. That's about 1.6 million pounds.
Daily samples collected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show high levels of Karenia brevis, the harmful algae that causes red tide, concentrated in the bay area.
The algae bloom was detected in 107 samples throughout the area, including Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Sarasota counties.
The most recent samples show high levels of Karenia brevis at Snell Isle and Bayboro Harbor with medium levels reported at Vinoy Park and Coquina Key.
Use the map below to see the latest red tide levels across Tampa Bay, according to FWC. You can also find where to drop off any dead fish.
Mayor Kriseman on Wednesday called on Gov. DeSantis for help with local sea life cleanup efforts, saying he wasn't sure how much longer the city and contractors for the city could spend working on it.
"We are asking the governor, please, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, we need your help."
If you have dead sea life on your property, you will have to clean it up yourself, Kriseman said. He added that the city could not be cleaning up at private homes.
The City of St. Petersburg has several locations for residents to drop off any dead sea life collected. You can also report a fish kill or red tide here.
To report a fish kill to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), call the hotline at 800-636-0511. For more resources, click here.
Red tide is the harmful algal bloom that produces toxic chemicals that can cause respiratory illnesses in people and even serious and sometimes deadly effects on marine life.
You can find other tools to check for red tide in your area here.
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