Pinellas County Cleans Up 676 Tons Of Fish Killed By Red Tide

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Local governments in Pinellas have now removed around 676 tons of dead fish and marine life from area waterways as very high levels of red tide persist within Tampa Bay.

Pinellas County contractors and the city of St. Petersburg collected around 124 tons of fish on Sunday and Monday and another 62.5 tons Tuesday from Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.

A large-scale operation to remove fish before they enter estuaries and canals continues this week.

Red tide in some parts of Tampa Bay in the past few days tested at 10 to 17 times the concentration considered “high,” which can cause significant respiratory issues in people and fish kills.

Concentrations along Pinellas beaches on Tuesday ranged from medium to high with the exception of Fred Howard Park, but impacts vary from day to day. Beaches remain open and areas with lower levels of red tide are safe to visit, however, higher concentrations can cause health effects, especially for people with underlying respiratory issues.

Locals and visitors can find the latest respiratory forecast and red tide conditions here.

Red Tide Health Advisory

Those visiting beaches or waterfront areas should follow the recent Red Tide Advisory from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas:

Do not swim around dead fish.

If you have chronic respiratory problems, be careful and consider staying away from affected areas as red tide can affect your breathing.

Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish from areas affected by red tide. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.

Keep pets away from water, sea foam and dead sea life.

Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner (making sure that the A/C filter is maintained according to manufacturer's specifications).

If outdoors, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

Updated: Fish Kill Reporting Information

Residents can report fish kills to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission through the FWC Reporter app, by calling 800-636-0511 or by submitting a report online. Residents who find dead fish near their boat dock can retrieve them with a skimmer and dispose of them with their regular trash or call their local municipality for additional guidance.

Check The Latest Red Tide impacts

Red tide can cause respiratory irritation in higher concentrations, especially when the wind is blowing onshore.

Pinellas County contributes to the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast tool for anyone considering a beach visit.

The location and severity of red tide impacts is influenced by the direction of the wind and tides and may change from one day to the next.

This press release was produced by the Pinellas County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.