How long has the current red tide lasted?
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 i
