Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae — simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, benthic organisms, marine mammals, and birds (source NOAA).
Red Tide in Florida
The Florida red tide occurs when high concentrations of the toxic dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, is present. Karenia brevis creates toxins, called a brevetoxins, that is threatening to human and animal health. Red tides have been responsible for millions of dollars in economic losses to the commercial and recreational fishing industries as well as recreation and tourism industries.
Red tide toxins that end up in the food web can be transferred to other forms of life, from tiny zooplankton to birds, fish, aquatic mammals and humans. Red tides cause massive fish kills along the Florida coast, weaken or kill marine mammals, and, when the toxins are inhaled, cause respiratory distress in humans and marine mammals.
While red tide occurs naturally, knowing when and where a red tide threat may emerge and how it may evolve along the coast is important. A number of predictive tools and data resources are available or in development to investigate this natural phenomenon.
Red Tide Data Resources
SECOORA is working to pull together all data resources related to the Red Tide in the Florida. If we are missing a resource, please email abbey@secoora.org to get it included!
Current Status
FWC Red Tide Status Update
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reports on the current status of Karenia brevis blooms using tables, static maps, and interactive Google Earth maps. FWC provides a statewide K. brevis map that breaks down coastal areas to highlight when concentrations are not present, very low, low, medium, and high. In addition, they report on respiratory irritation for southwest and northwest Florida.
Modeling, Forecasting and Web Cameras
| West Florida Coastal Ocean Model
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For West Florida, access short-term (4.5 day) HAB trajectory forecast that is provided by the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. The forecast is based on the nowcast/ forecast West Florida Coastal Ocean Model (WFCOM). Results are provided for both the surface and the near bottom waters. The two results differ due to water movement. Water movement is important to show where red tide may be transported. WFCOM provides the connectivity between three distinct ocean and coastal regions: deep ocean, nearshore shelf waters, and estuaries.
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| Access 4.5 Day HAB forecast for West Florida |
| Tampa Bay Circulation Model
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For the Tampa Bay Coastal region, access the short-term (4.5 day) HAB trajectory forecast that is provided by the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. The forecast is based on the high resolution nowcast/forecast Tampa Bay Circulation Model (TBCOM). Results are provided for both the surface and the near bottom waters. The two results differ due to water movement. Water movement is important to show where red tide may be transported. The TBCOM offers more detail by virtue of higher spatial resolution.
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| Access 4.5 Day HAB forecast for Tampa Bay Florida |
| NOAA Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast
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NOAA monitors conditions daily and issues twice-weekly forecasts for red tide blooms in the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast of Florida. You can find up-to-date information on where a bloom is located and a 3–4 day forecast for potential respiratory irritation arranged by regions. This information may help you find an unaffected beach if you are visiting the coast.
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| Access the NOAA Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast |
| Web Cameras
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SECOORA and Surfline support five coastal cameras in the southeastern U.S. that are specifically deployed to address coastal issues. There are 3 cameras in Florida that can be used to view effects of red tide (Bradenton, Miami and St. Augustine). Watch the cameras to see if dead fish is on the beach or monitor if others are enjoying the waters. You can also view archived data to determine if beach attendance has been impacted.
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| Access Web Camera Data |
Apps
| Red Tide Respiratory Forecast
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The Red Tide Respiratory Forecast can help beach visitors determine which beaches may be the safest to visit during a red tide event. The Red Tide Respiratory Forecast provides information on when a red tide caused by Karenia brevis could be impacting area beaches so that people who are susceptible to its impacts — especially those with chronic lung conditions — will know the risks. The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) and NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) maintain the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast with daily data contributions from HABscope volunteers, as well as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Pinellas, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties and the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF). Respiratory irritation risk levels are provided for individual beaches in 3-hour increments projected over 24 hours. The Red Tide Respiratory Forecast is only active during red tides and will be expanding to additional Florida beaches as well as beaches in Texas. |
| Access the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast |
| Beach Conditions Report
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Mote Marine Laboratory designed a user-friendly app that provides beach condition reports from select beaches on the southwest coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle. The app will alert you when dead fish are present, whether there is respiratory irritation among beachgoers, provide water color, the wind direction, and what flags are currently flying at the beaches (for lifeguard-monitored beaches). The reports are subjective (no measurements taken, just an estimate) and designed to indicate to the beachgoer which beach may be more preferable to visit at a particular time. It is updated twice daily at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
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| Access the Beach Conditions Report |
