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Red tide is back in Manatee and Sarasota counties, but diminishing in Pinellas

 Map of red tide
karen.atwood
/
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Map of red tide

Problems remain south of Tampa Bay. Medium amounts of the toxin were found at Anna Maria Island and the Longboat Key boat ramp and low amounts at Lido Beach and New Pass Dock on Sarasota Bay.

Red tide is almost gone from the Pinellas beaches, but is back in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

State environmental officials said Wednesday that low amounts of red tide were found in Pinellas only at Belleair Beach, Shell Key and Fort De Soto.

But problems are persisting south of Tampa Bay. Medium amounts of the toxin were found this weekat Anna Maria Island and the Longboat Key boat ramp in Manatee County. In Sarasota, low amounts were found at Lido Beach and New Pass Dock on Sarasota Bay.

Low amounts are also being reported on the south fishing pier of the Sunshine Skyway.

Fish kills and respiratory irritation were reported this week in all three counties.

Forecasts by the USF-FWC Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predict variable movement of surface waters and net southeastern transport of subsurface waters in most areas over the next 3½ days.

 Map of red tide hotspots
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Map of red tide hotspots

Copyright 2023 WUSF 89.7

Steve Newborn is WUSF's assistant news director as well as a reporter and producer at WUSF covering environmental issues and politics in the Tampa Bay area.