Sarasota County lifts no-swim advisory for North Jetty, Venice Pier beaches

SARASOTA COUNTY — The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County lifted no-swim advisories Friday at North Jetty Beach, 1000 S. Casey Key Road, and the beach at the Venice Municipal Fishing Pier, 1600 Harbor Drive S.

While those advisory signs will be removed, red tide advisory signs for the Karenia brevis algae bloom currently off the coastline will remain in place until conditions improve.

Read more: Complete coverage of red tide in Southwest Florida

The advisory was put in place Thursday after water tests Wednesday showed the level of enterococcus bacteria as outside acceptable limits.

Test results received by the health department Friday were at a satisfactory level meeting both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state recreational water standards.

Residents and visitors may return to swimming and other water sports at this beach site.

Health officials monitor water quality weekly at 16 sites along Sarasota's 34 miles of beaches. They expect to have the next round of test results available on Tuesday.

For more information, visit ourgulfenvironment.scgov.net and click on water monitoring and then bacterial testing to check beach water testing results of area Gulf beaches; call 941-BEACHES (941-232-2437) or visit visitbeaches.org.