Harmful algae blooms or red tides emerged in portions of the Southwest Florida Coastline. The impact of the red tide could result in fish kills and respiratory risks.
Researchers in Sarasota are working to see if hurricanes had an impact on the return of red tide to the county's beaches. They believe the current bloom was present a month ago, but it will take time to tell if there are any correlations.
Samples collected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission last week revealed varying levels of the microscopic algae Karenia brevis, offshore of Manatee, Sarasota, Collier and Lee counties.