Elevated Red Tide Levels Present At Sarasota County Beaches: DOH

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Elevated levels of red tide were detected in Monday’s water samples from multiple Sarasota County beaches, the Department of Health in Sarasota County said in a news release.

Beaches currently affected by red tide include Longboat Key, Bird Key Park/Ringling Causeway, North Lido, Lido Casino, South Lido, Siesta Key, Turtle Beach, Nokomis Beach, North Jetty, Venice Beach, Service Club, Venice Fishing Pier, Brohard Park, Caspersen, Manasota Key and Blind Pass, the DOH said.

The DOH has issued a health alert and displayed signs at these beaches and parks warning beachgoers that red tide is present.

Karenia brevis, the red tide organism, produces brevetoxins that affect the central nervous system of fish and other vertebrates and can kill them, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website. When waves break open the red tide organism's cells, it releases the toxins into the air, which can cause respiratory irritation.

“Some people may have mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation like those associated with the common cold or seasonal sinus allergies. Some individuals with existing breathing problems such as asthma might experience more severe effects,” the DOH said.

These symptoms usually go away when a person goes indoors or leaves the beach. Health officials recommend that those who are sensitive to red tide or are experiencing symptoms avoid the beach or go into an air-conditioned space. If symptoms don't go away, they should see a health care provider.

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Due to elevated counts of red tide from Monday’s beach water samples, DOH-Sarasota has posted signage at area beaches advising the public that red tide is present.

The DOH makes the following recommendations with the current levels of red tide in Sarasota County:

• Don't swim around dead fish.
• If you have chronic respiratory problems, consider staying away from the beach as red tide can affect your breathing.
• Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.
• Keep pets and livestock away from water, sea foam and dead sea life.
• Residents living in beach areas who experience respiratory symptoms are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner.

Florida Poison Control Centers have a toll-free 24/7 hotline for reporting of illnesses, including health effects from exposure to red tide at 888-232-8635.

Sarasota County's latest updates on red tide and data from regional partners can be found online here.

Red tide can last anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year, like it did in the Gulf in 2018, Nicole Rissler, the Sarasota County’s director of Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources, said in a video shared to the county Facebook page.

“Red tide can increase and have some effects, and then it can go away, and then it can come back and reoccur,” she said.

The county was under a health alert by the DOH because of red tide during the first week of July.

“Red tide is really contingent on a lot of things to increase the concentration,” Rissler said. “Things like sunlight, nutrients and the salinity of the water all have an effect on the actual bloom itself.”