Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/86226
NEWS BRIEFS Although red tide has been associated in years past with copious seaweed, no red tide was detected in August when seaweed was abundant on numerous beaches, including Lido. Photo by Norman Schimmel RED TIDE BLOOM AFFECTS SOUTHERN SARASOTA COUNTY State and local officials from Mote Marine Laboratory and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com- mission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) this week identified a bloom of red tide algae in southern Sarasota County, the county has announced. The bloom appeared to stretch to offshore Collier County as of mid-week, a Sarasota County news release says. The bloom was centered off Charlotte Harbor, stretching southeast toward Collier, according to satellite images provided by the University of South Florida. "We saw an obvious patch of the Karenia bre- vis bloom near Charlotte Harbor on Sept. 30 during a flight with the volunteer-led organi- zation LightHawk," said Alina Corcoran of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), in the news release. The Mote Beach Conditions Report System, which covers 26 beaches along the Gulf Coast, including Sarasota County, has received re- ports of respiratory irritation and dead fish from beaches in southern Sarasota County, the news release notes. FWRI confirmed low to medium concentra- tions of the red tide algae in samples collected alongshore of Charlotte County, the release adds. Mote planned to collect additional water sam- ples from the bloom over the next couple of days as part of the joint Mote-FWRI red tide response strategy, the release says.