RED TIDE DETECTED

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says red tide-producing organisms were detected in Bay County last week. According to the report, background concentrations of the toxic algae were observed in one sample. The report states that the algae was also observed in samples from Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties. No fish kills have been observed, but respiratory irritation was reported in Lee County. A devastating red tide bloom hit Florida’s coastal waters in October 2017 before finally disappearing early this year. Red tide is caused by an organism, which occurs naturally in the waters off Florida.