Скачать или смотреть Red tide back, vastly impacting Sarasota County beaches

The Tampa Bay area saw a return of the red tide organism in beaches and waterways a week ago, and now Sarasota County beaches are on high alert as the patchy bloom plagues the area.

At the beginning of September, there were no reports of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). However, last week samples collected showed concentrations in Manatee and Sarasota County.

This week, red tide showed low to high concentrations in 21 samples collected in and offshore of Pinellas County, background to medium concentrations in nine samples collected in Manatee County, and background to high concentrations in 22 samples in Sarasota County. Pasco County also produced very low to medium concentrations in and offshore.