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Water-Related News

Pinellas Red Tide Update 7/14: 676 tons of fish removed

Local governments in Pinellas have now removed around 676 tons of dead fish and marine life from area waterways as very high levels of Red Tide persist within Tampa Bay.

Pinellas County contractors and the City of St. Petersburg collected around 124 tons of fish on Sunday and Monday and another 62.5 tons Tuesday from Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway.

A large-scale operation to remove fish before they enter estuaries and canals continues this week.

Red Tide in some parts of Tampa Bay in the past few days tested at ten to 17 times the concentration considered “high,” which can cause significant respiratory issues in people and fish kills.

Concentrations along Pinellas beaches on Tuesday ranged from medium to high with the exception of Fred Howard Park, but impacts vary from day to day. Beaches remain open and areas with lower levels of Red Tide are safe to visit, however, higher concentrations can cause health effects, especially for people with underlying respiratory issues.

Locals and visitors can find the latest respiratory forecast and Red Tide conditions at BeachesUpdate.com.

Red Tide Health Advisory

Those visiting beaches or waterfront areas should follow the recent Red Tide Advisory from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas:

  • Do not swim around dead fish.
  • If you have chronic respiratory problems, be careful and consider staying away from affected areas as Red Tide can affect your breathing.
  • Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish from areas affected by Red Tide. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.
  • 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.

Updated: Fish Kill Reporting Information

City of St. Petersburg: City residents may report fish kills through the See Click Fix app for the quickest response: https://www.stpete.org/action_center. A map of dumpster locations for disposal of dead fish can be found here.

Other Pinellas Waterways: County contractors are actively working in areas with the largest reported fish kills. 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.

Check the latest Red Tide impacts:

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.