Red tide will be a problem again someday. Manatee County wants a ‘playbook’ for next time

BRADENTON - As Florida’s Gulf Coast continues to scramble for the solutions and causes of the latest red tide bloom, Manatee County hopes to lead the way with a data-driven “playbook.”

At Tuesday’s county commission meeting, researchers from the University of Central Florida announced their plan to apply for a grant that would allow them to work on a project in Manatee County that analyzes actions that mitigate red tide and actions to take once red tide reappears.

Commissioners unanimously supported a motion to move forward with the grant application.

“Red tide is going to be returning, so it would be nice to put what we learned in a playbook and go forward,” said Charlie Hunsicker, director of parks and natural resources.