SCCF Laboratory finds red tide bloom
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation reported that Karenia brevis - the organism that blooms into red tide - recently was documented during water sampling in nearby areas.
According to the SCCF, research scientists from the Marine Lab collected water samples on a short cruise on Oct. 15 to the lower Caloosahatchee, San Carlos Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico. The results indicated that Karenia brevis was present at all sites sampled.
The maximum concentration was 880,000 cells/liter, found two miles offshore of Tarpon Bay Road Beach. Levels higher than 100,000 can result in fish kills and respiratory irritation in humans.
Since September 2018, the SCCF Marine Lab has been systematically sampling the Caloosahatchee and Gulf for nutrients, phytoplankton and water quality. A total of nine trips have been completed, with one more planned, under a National Science Foundation RAPID grant to study harmful algal blooms.