4 Sarasota area waterfront restaurants make best Florida list
SARASOTA

Has Florida red tide returned? Elevated levels reported along Sarasota County beaches

Timothy Fanning
Sarasota Herald-Tribune

SARASOTA COUNTY – Red tide has reemerged in Sarasota County, but at very low levels, according to the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County.

Water samples collected on Monday and reports of respiratory irritation prompted health officials to place signs at some area beaches from North Jetty to Longboat Key late this week.

Experts believe that current conditions were not prompted by polluted water discharged from Piney Point in Manatee County earlier this month. Rather, the bloom appears to have emerged from Charlotte and Lee County starting in December. Winds from the south have pushed the bloom northward to Sarasota County.

“It’s not a total surprise to us at the moment,” said Cindy Heil, the director of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Red Tide Institute.

Over the past week, Karenia brevis, a naturally occurring toxic algae known as red tide, was detected in 54 samples in Southwest Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Bloom concentrations were observed in one sample each from Sarasota, Charlotte and Collier counties. Red tide was also observed at background concentrations in one sample from Northwest Florida.

Red tide was observed at background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Sarasota County in 31 samples and very low to high concentrations in Charlotte County in four samples. Samples from or offshore of Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee counties did not contain red tide.

“The winds have been consistently southerly for the past week or so and hence red tide cells that were south of us are creeping northward,” said Dr. Robert Weisberg, an oceanography professor at the University of South Florida. “That is why there are higher concentrations in Sarasota. We need a front to pass by and for the winds to switch to northerly; but, alas, that is not in the weather forecast.”

Weisberg and researchers from the University of South Florida are using a computer model that forecasts the path of nutrient-rich wastewater discharged into Tampa Bay from the former Piney Point fertilizer plant this month as they study how the polluted water is affecting marine ecosystems.

Related:USF model shows path of polluted Piney Point discharge water as it spreads around Tampa Bay

Weisberg said it doesn’t appear that conditions in Sarasota County were caused by the 215 million gallons of nitrogen-laden water dumped from the Piney Point phosphate industrial site earlier this month. He also said it is too early to tell if the path of the polluted discharge water could have an impact on red tide in the Gulf.

“We should not be alarmist,” Weisberg said. “Southerly winds are keeping the stuff in Tampa Bay so concentrations are not a factor in Sarasota Bay presently.”

The last major outbreak of the microorganism that turns the turquoise waters of the Gulf the color of cola lasted from October 2017 to February 2019. It killed countless sea creatures, including dolphins, sea turtles and manatees.

The algae can be fueled near shore by nutrient pollution associated with urban or agricultural runoff, according to Mote Marine Laboratory.

Wave action can break open red tide cells, releasing toxins into the air, leading to respiratory irritation.

More coverage:Researchers release playbook for combating red tide, other deadly algae

As of Friday morning, Mote’s Beach Conditions reported no sightings of fish kills along the county’s 35 miles of shoreline.

Experts can’t predict how severe this red tide bloom will be, said Heil, the director of Mote Marine Laboratory’s Red Tide Institute.

However, the evidence so far points to this year being a “fairly normal red tide year,” Heil said.

“It’s been ebbing and waning for the last four months,” Hail said. “It changes from week to week but it’s in no way comparable to the 2018 bloom at the moment.”

Water samples collected earlier this week show that the greatest concentration of Karenia brevis cells in the area is at Siesta Key Beach. The level there is medium, meaning some people may experience respiratory irritation.

Siesta Key Public Beach lifeguard Scot Ruberg, known by his beach name, “Scooter,” has given cheerful morning reports for years on his Facebook page.

As for Friday morning: “I am looking at the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico ... and is it discolored? Nope,” Ruberg said. “Are there any dead fish washing up on shore from the red tide? No, there are no dead fish washing up.”

Ruberg did note slight respiratory issues but said it did not cause anyone to leave the beach Thursday evening.

“Get your gear and get on down and let’s play this on a day-to-day basis,” Ruberg said. “Today is beautiful and there is no reason not to come down to the beach.”

Is red tide harmful to humans?

Some people may experience mild respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation similar to cold symptoms. Some people with breathing problems sometimes experience more severe symptoms. Usually symptoms go away when a person leaves the area or goes indoors.

Health officials recommend that people experiencing symptoms caused by red tide stay away from beach areas or go into an air-conditioned space.

Which Sarasota County beaches could be affected by red tide?

Signs were posted Friday at the following beaches:

  • Longboat Key
  • Bird Key Park (Ringling Causeway)
  • North Lido Beach
  • Lido Casino
  • South Lido
  • Siesta Key Beach
  • Turtle Beach
  • Nokomis Beach
  • North Jetty Beach

Current beach conditions can be checked at Mote Marine’s website, visitbeaches.org.

Health officials in Sarasota County also post weekly sample results at ourgulfenvironment.net.

Timothy Fanning covers Sarasota government for the Herald-Tribune. Reach Timothy at tim.fanning@heraldtribune.com or on Twitter: @timothyjfanning. Support the Herald-Tribune by subscribing today.