ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — As people along the west coast of Florida struggled with respiratory issues and the sights and smells of dead fish, relief could be on the way as red tide levels in the Tampa Bay area have dwindled in the latest report.
The red tide organism, Karenia brevis, was found in 77 samples along the coast over the last week. Areas where a higher concentration was found included Manatee County.
See FWC's red tide map by clicking here.
Other counties like Pinellas and Sarasota counties saw background to low concentrations, which is a pleasant update after both areas saw low to medium concentrations last month. The concentration levels impacted many Sarasota beaches.
There were reports of fish kills related to red tide in Manatee and Sarasota counties over the past week. Respiratory issues along beaches in both counties were also reported.
Red tide is one of the water's deadliest enemies, and it occurs nearly every summer along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Some years, however, it's worse than others. If you need to submit a fish kill report, click here.
The next red tide report will be available on Jan. 25.