Red tide in area
Capt. Frank Bourgeois
July 31, 2014
Hernando Beach - Saltwater Fishing Report
Thank you for contacting the FWC's Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute with your concerns. A bloom of Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, has been confirmed 40-90 miles offshore in the NE GOM. The bloom is approximately 80 miles long and 50 miles wide from Dixie county, south to Pasco county. Results from samples collected during an investigation on July 23, 2014 will be available in today's red tide status report at 5:00.
Red tide is a natural event and has been known to last for as little as a few weeks to longer than a year. Environmental conditions like salinity, temperature and winds can affect the duration and intensity of blooms. Although treatment of red tide is not possible at this point, FWC staff and partners work to track blooms and disseminate information to the public. We also conduct research on the red tide to better understand its biology and identify potential mitigation solutions. FWC Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) staff collects and analyses water samples from marine systems in Florida year round and during events like this one.
Our state-wide red tide status report is available every Friday evening on our FWRI Website or by calling the red tide hotline at (866) 300-9399. Mid week updates may be provided during bloom events. Mote Marine Laboratory's Beach Conditions Reporting System complements our status reports with information on respiratory irritation caused by the red tide. Find daily beach conditions at Mote Beach Conditions. For questions about human health concerns, contact the Florida Poison Information Center Hotline at (800) 222-1222. To learn more about red tide, visit our website at http://www.myfwc.com/redtide or see our Facebook page at FL-HABs . Please feel free to contact me back if I can be of further assistance.
Clark Gray, MS
Research Associate
Fish and Wildlife Health
727-502-4882
More Fishing Reports:
