Red tide’s impact on seabirds
More red tide is starting to pop-up around the Bay Area, killing fish and giving people respiratory problems. Experts say it also carries a toxin that could make seabirds ill.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Crews in Madeira Beach were hard at work this week removing scores of dead fish that washed up onto the sands. Starting Thursday, boats will launch from War Veterans Memorial Park in St. Pete to try to tackle the fish kill problem before it can wash ashore.
Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties are all experiencing elevated levels of red tide, but Pinellas has seen the highest concentrations off its shores.
Pinellas officials say the worst areas for blooms are along the shoreline from John's Pass to Clearwater Pass. They’ve also observed another large bloom about one mile west of Clearwater Beach, extending to Caladesi Island and Honeymoon Island state parks.
Blooms in smaller concentrations have also been spotted in the Intracoastal Waterway from the Anclote River to the Belleair Causeway. In Dunedin, officials say significant numbers of dead fish were spotted along the sea wall.
MORE: Red tide puts seabirds at risk of neurotoxin sickness, death
The beach southwest of the Dunedin Causeway drawbridge will be blocked off Thursday while crews clean-up. The Causeway will remain open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
It’s unclear what’s causing the blooms. While red tide is a natural phenomenon, it can be made worse by the presence of nutrients in the water, which feed the blooms. Run-off fertilizers, storm water, recent rains, warm temperatures, and sewage leaks can all play a part as well, as could the April Piney Point wastewater dump.
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Pinellas County officials say they believe bloom activity is moving north and will continue to do so for about another week. They aren’t able to say is just how long this will last, but for now they say they have equipment staged and contractors ready to keep things clean on the beaches.
The blooms aren’t affecting every Pinellas County beach the same way. Some have even been completely spared. You can use this interactive Red Tide map to check conditions for individual beaches before heading out.
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June 17, 2021 at 09:10PM
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