Red Tide is taking it’s toll on Sarasota and Charlotte County Beaches and marine life. Clean up crews have removed over 1.5 tons of dead fish and seaweed from Sarasota Beaches alone. Equipment running on Venice Island, Siesta Key and Lido Beach Casey Key Beach are working to clear the beaches of the debris.
Mote Marine reports n Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background to high concentrations in and offshore of low to high concentrations in Sarasota County (in 21 samples), medium concentrations in Charlotte County (in two samples), and background to medium concentrations in Lee County (in eight samples). Samples collected from or offshore of Collier County did not contain K. brevis.
Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported in Southwest Florida in Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties over the past week. For more details, please visit: https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.