Red tide advisory issued for multiple Sarasota County beaches

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) - The Florida Department of Health is notifying the public of elevated levels of red tide detected at area beaches around the county.

Beach water samples taken Monday had elevated levels of red tide. DOH-Sarasota will be posting signage at several beaches to advise the public that red tide is present.

The beaches with elevated levels of red tide include Venice Beach, Service Club Park, Venice Fishing Pier, Brohard Beach, and Caspersen Beach, Manasota Key, and Blind Pass. Some people may have mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation like those associated with the common cold or seasonal sinus allergies.

These levels can affect individuals with asthma or other respiratory issues. Health officials recommend that people who are sensitive to red tide or experiencing symptoms avoid the beach or go into an air-conditioned space.

If symptoms do not subside, contact your healthcare provider for evaluation.

The Department makes the following recommendations:

Do not swim around dead fish.
If you have chronic respiratory problems, consider staying away from the beach as red tide can affect your breathing.
Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.
Keep pets and livestock away from water, sea foam, and dead sea life.
Residents living in beach areas who experience respiratory symptoms are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner (ensuring that the A/C filter is maintained according to the manufacturer’s specifications).
If outdoors, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

Florida Poison Control Centers have a toll-free 24/7 Hotline for reporting illnesses, including health effects from exposure to red tide at 1-888-222-1222.