In a recent video statement, Manatee County Administrator, Scott Hopes, provided an update of the red tide situation in our area. Hopes includes information from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) and states, while there have been high concentrations along our barrier islands in recent weeks, most of Tampa Bay has seen lower concentrations of red tide in the last few days and as of July 29th, no widespread respiratory issues have been reported.
The county’s primary focus has been mitigation allowing the beaches to stay open. The county and it’s contract partners work daily to clean our beaches. Utilizing a shrimp boat fleet and a multi-faceted approach from land, sea, and air, Manatee County has been able to stay ahead of major red tide impacts. In the video included below, Hopes elaborates on the details of the clean up and mitigation efforts.
Keep informed on Mymanatee.org/redtide from the daily updates provided in conjunction with FWC. The next complete status report from FWC will be issued on Friday, August 6th.
FWC-FWRI is working closely with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and other partners on the Piney Point response effort. Status updates and results are posted on the Protecting Florida Together website (https://protectingfloridatogether.gov/PineyPointUpdate) and on the Tampa Bay Estuary Program website (https://shiny.tbep.org/piney-point/).
FWC offers a website to help report and monitor red tide activity. The following links can all be accessed from the myfwc.com website here.
The toll-free hotline offers information about how and where to report fish kills, fish with parasites, or other fish abnormalities.
Submit a report of a fish kill online, or call the Fish Kill Hotline: 800-636-0511.
This article explains how and where to report fish kills, fish with parasites, or fish with other abnormalities.
Fish Kills and Fish Abnormalities Reported in Florida to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
The Fish and Wildlife Health Group at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg has established a toll-free, statewide, fish kill hotline.
Monitoring the Health of Florida’s Marine Organisms
The Fish and Wildlife Health Group at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, is concerned with the health status of Florida’s marine and estuarine organisms.
FWC scientists study disease and mortality in wild fish populations, and reports of dead and diseased fish to the FWC Fish Kill Hotline help us respond appropriately to disease events.
Reported Fish Kills and Abnormalities
This section offers statewide records of current and historic information about reported external abnormalities in fish and fish kills reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
Report Fish Kills with FWC’s Reporter App
The FWC Reporter app makes it easier than ever for concerned residents and visitors to help researchers track fish kills and monitor aquatic animal diseases.
