Is it safe to swim during a Florida red tide? The Florida Department of Health advises people with severe or chronic respiratory conditions, such as emphysema or asthma, to avoid red tide areas. Offshore winds usually keep respiratory effects experienced by those on the shore to a minimum. Some people experience respiratory irritation (coughing, sneezing, tearing and an itchy throat) when the Florida red tide organism is present and winds blow onshore. Will I experience respiratory irritation during a Florida red tide? The information provided by forecasting and monitoring allows people to make informed decisions regarding their beach-going activities. Red tide movement and concentration are important because the effects of a red tide, such as dead fish and human respiratory irritation, depend on these factors. Scientists also monitor the concentration of the red tide organism by collecting water samples routinely and in response to blooms. brevis or “Florida red tide.” At high enough concentrations, Florida red tide can discolor water a red or brown hue.Ĭan we predict where a red tide will occur?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. In Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, the species that causes most red tides is Karenia brevis, often abbreviated as K. Red Tide Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Ī red tide, or harmful algal bloom, is a higher-than-normal concentration of a microscopic alga (plantlike organism). If outdoors, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.įlorida Poison Control Centers have a toll-free 24/7 Hotline for reporting of illnesses, including health effects from exposure to red tide at 1-88.įor information about Red Tide and links to other resources, visit.Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner (making sure that the A/C filter is maintained according to manufacturer's specifications).Keep pets and livestock away from water, sea foam and dead sea life.If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts. Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish from this location.If you have chronic respiratory problems, be careful and consider staying away from this location as red tide can affect your breathing.Do not swim around dead fish at this location.If symptoms do not subside, please contact your health care provider for evaluation. Health officials recommend that people experiencing these symptoms stay away from beach areas or go into an air-conditioned space. Usually symptoms go away when a person leaves the area or goes indoors. Some individuals with breathing problems such as asthma might experience more severe symptoms. Some people may have mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation similar to cold symptoms. The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) is notifying the public of a Red Tide bloom along Pinellas coastal beaches. NOAA's re spiratory forecast tool can be found at - (the map takes a bit to load).Pete/Clearwater posts current beach conditions on their webpage at. You can find Red Tide Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at this link.The Indian Shores' Red Tide webpage and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) webpage has links to current information on red tide.The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Pinellas County and other local agencies are monitoring the bloom but cannot predict how long it will last.
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