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Indian Rocks Beach

News/Bulletin

RED TIDE UPDATE

Tuesday - July 20, 2021

Red tide results are attached and are not what we wanted to see for the beaches. Madeira Beach and Treasure Island both had concentrations over 20 M cells/L/ which is extremely high. As winds shift onshore respiratory irritation will be strong.
As mentioned, the satellite imagery does seem to show a lessening of the bloom in Tampa Bay. Further, the salinity of the bay is decreasing as a result of the increased rainfall and river flow which is good. FWC is cautiously optimistic and will be evaluating the Bay further this week with additional monitoring so stand by. Fish kill clean up, monitoring results, respiratory forecast tool, boat captain opportunities for work – all available at www.pinellascounty.org/redtide

Flight Observations
• Tampa Bay has improved over the last couple days; however, the water is still discolored. There were some rack lines of fish in the Bay and around some of the canals near Coffee Pot Bayou south to the Pier. These locations were sent to the contractor for cleanup.
• The bloom together with dead fish was present near Pinellas Point and Ft DeSoto and then became darker around Bunces Pass.
• From Blind Pass north to Redingtons / Indian Shores there is extremely discolored water with thousands of fish present scattered throughout the Gulf. We flew roughly ½ -1 mile west of the beaches and the bloom was visible.
• The flight was diverted to assist SPPD at Clearwater Pass and due to fuel remaining and weather we did not go back up to complete the coastal survey.

Field Operations
• 21 inshore shrimp vessels – working from the Bay and into the Gulf and lower ICW around St Pete/Boca Ciega Bay
• 2 large shrimp vessels – working the Gulf of Mexico offshore Treasure Island and Madeira Beach (picture)
• 7 Utility vessels – working in and around the Bay and St Pete to St Pete Beach and the ICW.
• 4 WeeDoos – 2 working around the Pinellas Bayway and Tierra Verde, 1 working the ICW of St Pete Beach/Boca Ciega Bay and 1 working Madeira Beach ICW.
• The beaches from Indian Shores south are significantly impacted by dead fish
• A hand crew was dispatched to assist Redington Shores today along with the beach rake
• Inspections of the reported locations via the Red Tide Reporter app have been ongoing throughout the day as they have come in. Locations that had fish present and warranted a boat to assist was dispatched to DRC
• Additional hand crews will be available tomorrow
• Coordinating with FDOT on roll-offs for clean up on Gandy Blvd and the Skyway
What residents need to know
Check the latest Red Tide concentrations: Red Tide can cause respiratory irritation in higher concentrations, especially when the wind is blowing onshore. Pinellas County contributes to the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast tool for anyone considering a beach visit. Visit St. Pete/Clearwater maintains a beach status dashboard that also includes this information at www.beachesupdate.com. The location and severity of Red Tide impacts is influenced by the direction of the wind and tides and may change from one day to the next – check these sites when planning a beach trip for the latest information.
Report fish kills: Large fish kills have been reported in St. Petersburg and areas of the Intra-Coastal Waterway. Residents can report fish kills to FWC through the FWC Reporter app, by calling 800-636-0511 or by submitting a report online. Residents who find dead fish near their boat dock can retrieve them with a skimmer and dispose of them with their regular trash or call their local municipality for additional guidance.
Fertilizer ban reminder: Occurrences of Red Tide in the Gulf of Mexico have been documented for centuries, but blooms can be worsened by excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. Residents are reminded that fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus cannot be used or sold through Sept. 30, and phosphorus cannot be used any time of year unless a soil test confirms that it is needed.

We are also emphasizing key health messages from Florida Dept. of Health in Pinellas' recent advisory, including:

• If you have chronic respiratory problems, be careful and consider staying away from impacted areas as Red Tide can affect your breathing.
• Don’t swim around dead fish or eat shellfish, distressed or dead fish in areas with Red Tide.
• Keep pets away from water, sea foam and dead sea life.
• 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, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

For more Red Tide health information, see full health advisory: http://pinellas.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2021/06/red-tide-present-in-the-gulf.html