If you are at the beach with your pets, do not allow them to play with dead fish or foam that may accumulate on the beach during or after a red tide. If you live close to the beach, consider bringing outdoor pets inside during a bloom to prevent respiratory irritation. Just like people, pets may be affected by red tide. Always seek medical care if your symptoms worsen. People with chronic lung ailments should be especially vigilant about taking prescribed medications daily. For people without asthma or any other chronic respiratory problems, over-the-counter antihistamines may relieve symptoms.
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This is also true when driving: keep your car windows up and the A/C or heat on. People get relief from respiratory symptoms by being in air conditioned spaces.
What can I do to lessen the effects of red tide? If symptoms persist, please seek medical attention. If you have symptoms, leave the beach and seek air conditioning (A/C). If you go to the beach and have one of these conditions, a short-acting inhaler usually helps. People with respiratory problems (like asthma or bronchitis) should avoid red tide areas, especially when winds are blowing on shore. If symptoms persist, please seek medical attention.Īre there people who are more sensitive to the toxins caused by red tide? When a person leaves an area with red tide, symptoms usually go away. It is possible that people in coastal areas in close proximity to the shoreline may experience varying degrees of eye, nose, and throat irritation. If you experience irritation, get out of the ocean and thoroughly wash off with fresh water.Ĭan red tide affect me when I am not on the beach?
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If your skin is easily irritated, avoid red tide water. While people may swim in red tide, some individuals may experience skin irritation and burning eyes. Is it safe to swim in water affected by red tide? The information provided by forecasting and monitoring allows people to make healthy and informed decisions regarding beach-going activities. Red tide movement and concentration are important because the effects of a red tide, such as human respiratory irritation, depend on these factors. Onshore winds and water movements normally bring it near the shore and offshore winds drive it out to sea.Īlthough the occurrence of a red tide cannot be predicted, scientists can forecast its movement using wind and water current data once a bloom is located. Red tide blooms can last days, weeks or months, and can also change daily due to wind conditions. brevisis found almost exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico but has been found on the east coast of Florida and off the coast of North Carolina.
While red tides and other algal blooms occur worldwide, Red tides were documented in the southern Gulf of Mexico as far back as the 1700s and along Florida's Gulf Coast since the 1840s. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Local Beach Conditions or call 1-941-BEACHES (Press 10 for Charlotte County conditions) Where can I check the status of red tide at my local beach?
No one factor causes the development of a red tide bloom. At high concentrations, the organisms may discolor the water, sometimes red, light or dark green, brown or the water may appear clear.Ī red tide bloom develops when biology (the organisms), chemistry (natural or man-made nutrients for growth) and physics (concentrating and transport mechanisms) interact to produce the algal bloom. In Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, the species that causes most red tides is Karenia brevis, often abbreviated as K. Respiratory irritation was reported in Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties.A red tide, or harmful algal bloom, is a higher-than-normal concentration of a microscopic alga (plantlike organism). In Sarasota County, medium concentrations were found at North Lido Beach, Nokomis Beach and Venice Beach.įish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported in Hernando, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties over the past week. In Pinellas, medium concentrations were found offshore of Tarpon Springs and at Clearwater Beach, Indian Rocks Beach and Pass-a-Grille.įurther south, medium concentrations were found in Manatee County at Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, Longboat Pass and off Atlas Street. Medium concentrations were also found offshore from Hernando and Pasco counties. Lower concentrations were found near the southern end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Medium concentrations were also found in for the first time since August in Tampa Bay, along the Manatee-Hillsborough county line. Red tide is making a resurgence on the Gulf Coast beaches and in lower Tampa Bay.Ī report released Friday by state environmental regulators shows high levels of red tide were found this week at Redington Beach, Madeira Beach and John's Pass in Pinellas and North Jetty Park in Sarasota.
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