SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - Scientists are optimistic that a red tide bloom along Florida’s southwest coast has dissipated.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s red tide status update says data collected in the last two weeks from Tampa Bay has revealed predominantly non-detectable and very low levels of the red tide organism.
Mote Marine Laboratory scientist Tracy Fanara tells the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (https://bit.ly/2q7LSGe )that it’s not surprising since the organism becomes stressed as water temperatures rise.
Red tide appears when a certain kind of phytoplankton gathers in high concentrations, giving off toxins that are harmful to wildlife and humans.
Typically, it’s responsible for hundreds and hundreds of fish kills and causes respiratory irritation and watery eyes in humans.
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Information from: Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune, https://www.heraldtribune.com
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