Some beach-goers, though, appear undeterred by the algal blooms. Local business owners are concerned the red tide may drive tourists away, just as they’re gearing up for the spring break rush. When red tide is present, Florida officials recommend staying out of the water-and keeping pets away, too. The toxins can also make their way into shellfish, and if people eat those shellfish, they may develop neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, which causes stomach problems and other symptoms. brevis grows excessively, it can cause skin irritation, eye irritation and respiratory issues-such as coughing, sneezing and asthma attacks-in humans and pets that swim in affected water or breathe in its airborne toxins. Others are nontoxic, but they block sunlight and deplete oxygen levels in the water, which can lead to fish die-offs. brevis, produce toxins that can kill fish and sicken humans. These blooms can cause major problems for humans, pets and marine wildlife. For the latest at individual beaches, see /JMMO2Vo8ao- NWS Tampa Bay March 6, 2023 Over the next 36 hrs, is forecasting a HIGH risk of respiratory irritation from Karenia brevis (red tide) at some beaches in CHARLOTTE, MANATEE, PINELLAS and SARASOTA counties. Scientists call this out-of-control overgrowth an “algal bloom.” However, under the right conditions, these tiny organisms can rapidly multiply. brevis and other types of algae inhabit all bodies of water, they typically exist in such small numbers that they go unnoticed. brevis in high concentrations at several sampling locations along the state’s southwestern coast. In early March, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission detected K. In Florida, that problematic algae is known as Karenia brevis. Named for the brownish-red hue it gives the water, red tide occurs when toxic algae proliferate. Similar toxins can be produced by other algal blooms.Dead fish are washing ashore and beach-goers are facing respiratory problems as harmful algae accumulate along the southwest shores of Florida in a phenomenon nicknamed “red tide.” The algae that cause red tides in Florida produce brevetoxins, which attack the nervous systems of fish, shellfish and birds as well as humans and other mammals. Algal blooms can be worsened by fertilizer runoff from farming and waste from sewage treatment plants, but Frankovich says that doesn’t seem to be the case with red tides in Florida. In addition to warm waters, Frankovich says red tides are fueled by naturally occurring upwellings of nutrient-rich water. “But a lot of times they persist throughout the entire year and make the next year's bloom even larger.” Fish are washed ashore the Sanibel causeway after dying in a red tide on Aug. “They seem to start up in the late summer, then they persist for about four months into late fall, and then they die back,” he says of red tides in Florida. Thomas Frankovich, a Florida International University biologist who studies algal blooms around Key Largo, Florida, says red tides occur when water temperatures are high. But algal blooms can be caused by many different species of algae. In Florida and Texas, red tides are caused by an alga called Karenia brevis. They’re also common along the coast of California and in the Gulf of Maine. In the United States, they are common along the Texas coast, and they occur almost every summer along the Gulf Coast of Florida. Red tides occur in coastal waters all over the world. Spanish explorers heard stories of “red water” from Florida Indians in the 16th century. The earliest reports of red tides are from Japan in the 8th century.
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