Red tide again staining Lee County waters, state health department issues advisory

A red tide that's lingered along the coast for months and to various levels has returned to Southwest Florida waters as the Florida Department of Health in Lee County Monday issued a health alert over the algal bloom.

Water samples taken Jan. 25 showed "alert" levels at Blind Pass and Gasparilla Island State Park, according to a press release from DOH.

DOH says residents and visitors should consider several health factors when red tide is present along the coast.

"Symptoms from breathing red tide usually include coughing, sneezing and watery eyes," the release says. "For most people, symptoms are temporary and typically go away when the person leaves the area. Wearing a particle filter mask may lessen the effects, and over-the-counter antihistamines decrease symptoms. People with chronic respiratory problems, like asthma, should avoid areas with active red tides. People with symptoms that persist should seek medical attention."

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A "caution" level was given for the Sanibel Lighthouse and Lynn Hall Park on Fort Myers Beach. Counts there, DOH says, of 10,000 to100,000 cells per liter were recorded at each site recently.

That's high enough to cause fish kills and water discoloration, according to state guidelines.

Red tide (Karenia brevis) naturally occurs in the eastern Gulf of Mexico but can bloom to toxic levels when conditions are right.

A particularly nasty red tide blanketed the Lee County coast from the fall of 2017 until the spring of 2019. The height of the bloom was during the summer of 2018 as millions of pounds of dead sea life washed ashore.

Scientists with the University of Miami have determined that red tide blooms are more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense now than they were in the mid-1900s. The cause, scientists there say, is excess nutrients from the historic Everglades system, including the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is the state agency charged with monitoring red tide.

FWC's latest reports show medium to strong red tide concentrations in Lee County, with the overall bloom stretching from the Tampa Bay area south to Everglades National Park.

Red tide was at normal, background concentrations in places like Sarasota and the Naples area, according to FWC.

Florida DOH in Lee County recommends the following:

▶Look for informational signage posted at most beaches.

▶Stay away from the water, and do not swim in waters with dead fish.

▶Those with chronic respiratory problems should be especially cautious and stay away from this location as red tide can affect your breathing.

▶Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish or distressed or dead fish from this location. If caught live and healthy, finfish are safe to eat as long as they are filleted and the guts are discarded. Rinse fillets with tap or bottled water.

▶Wash your skin and clothing with soap and fresh water if you have had recent contact with red tide.

▶Keep pets and livestock away and out of the water, sea foam and dead sea life. If your pet swims in waters with red tide, wash it as soon as possible.

▶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.

▶If outdoors near an affected location, residents may choose to wear masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

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