Q: How long has the current red tide lasted?

A: It was first found Jan. 9, 2005, 30 miles off shore from St. Petersburg Beach. It went away in mid-March, leaving behind a remnant in Palma Sola Bay, then was observed again in mid-May from Pasco County south to Sarasota Bay. It has continued to date.

Q: How long do you think it will last?

A: It’s impossible to predict how long any red tide will last because there are so many factors that may affect it, including water temperature, salinity, rainfall, water currents, the competition from other phytoplankton and the availability of nutrients.

Q: How intense has it been (for example, cells per liter; feel free to give a range of readings and locations from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor)?

A: Over the last seven months, the intensity has varied from no cells detected to very high concentrations in localized patches in the region from offshore of Hernando County to northern Lee County.

Q: Are the size and the intensity of the current red tide increasing or decreasing?

A: Some observations indicate that the area of the bloom has increased over the last few weeks. The size of the bloom changes with the water circulation pattern of the Gulf. Intensity varies greatly as red tide can be patchy and inconsistent.

Current monitoring methods that require people to be on boats for sampling is cumbersome, not cost-effective and does not provide up-to-date information on how large red tide blooms are.

Q: What new developments could help with red tide?

A: Continuous, real-time monitoring is essential to address questions regarding factors that affect red tide development and movement. An automated instrument called the BreveBuster has been developed at Mote Marine Laboratory that can detect red tide from remote locations. It has been deployed in test locations off Sarasota Bay and in Charlotte Harbor.

The BreveBusters in Charlotte Harbor, in fact, were first able to detect that the current red tide had moved south. Mote is working with the state of Florida and other institutions to develop a coastal oceans observation system that will include BreveBusters being used to provide continuous, real time monitoring required.

Q: How does this event rank with the worst red tides of the past?

A: For the St. Petersburg area, this is probably about the worst bloom on record, especially considering the benthic mortality zone. Is this the worst bloom to have affected the entire coastal region? No, but the bloom is still ongoing, so it’s really too early to say.

Q: How often do red tides occur on Florida’s Gulf Coast?

A: Every year, although some stay off shore where residents may not even notice them.

Q: Red tide is the result of a naturally occurring alga, correct?

A: Yes, the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, is a single-celled organism called a

dinoflagellate. It occurs naturally throughout the Gulf, causing problems when the population of cells increases dramatically to a “bloom.” Although red tide is naturally occurring, a major focus of Mote’s research is attempting to determine if coastal pollution enhances red tide blooms along the coast.

“pink Tide” is a uncomplicated call for a phenomenon time-venerated as an algal bloom, an adventure wherein estuarine, marine, or sparkling water algae assemble promptly interior the water column, or “bloom”. those algae, greater specifically phytoplankton, are microscopic, unmarried-celled protists, plant-like organisms which could sort dense, seen patches close to the water’s floor. specific species of phytoplankton incorporate photosynthetic pigments that alter in colour from eco-friendly to brown to pink, and while the algae are present day in severe concentrations, the water seems to be discolored or murky, various in colour from white to surprisingly much black, frequently being pink or brown. no longer all algal blooms are dense adequate to reason water discoloration, and not all discolored waters linked with algal blooms are pink. additionally, pink tides are no longer frequently linked with tidal flow of water, subsequently the alternative between scientists to apply the term algal bloom. in common terms the nutrition grant from seawater is laid low with pink tide. We nonetheless produce different supplies of nutrition inclusive of hen, culmination & vegetables, pork & pork.

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