Red tide returns to Tampa Bay: ‘This is a major disaster here in the Tampa Bay region’
Author: Shannon Clowe (WTSP)
Published: 9:51 PM EDT July 9, 2021
Updated: 1:11 AM EDT July 10, 2021
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — People living in Pinellas County said red tide is back and it’s extreme in some areas along Tampa Bay.
People living in Coquina Key described it as the worst they have seen.
“This is like no red tide we’ve ever seen before. Goliath grouper, dead dolphin, dead tarpon,” one woman living in Coquina Key, Beth Moch explained.
People who live along the water in Coquina Key said they have never seen this many fish die because of red tide.
“We’re seeing thousands and thousands of dead marine life in our waterways,” another person living in Coquina Key, Mike McGraw said.
People said there were so many dead fish, the smell became unbearable.
“I couldn’t even go outside and do the lawn today because it was that putrid, the smell,” Moch stated.
People in Coquina Key were coughing and had headaches. Those are symptoms you could experience if you are in an area around red tide.
City workers picked up dead fish in Coquina Key. Crews were also in St. Petersburg and cleaned up dead fish there as well.
People are happy the city acted to clean the dead sea life, but they want to see more done.
“I’d like to know what type of disaster we’re dealing with and I think the only way to do that is to bring in scientists and do some additional testing,” Moch stated.
10 Tampa Bay reached out to Governor DeSantis’s office to see if state officials will act on the current red tide in Tampa Bay.
FWC’s latest report shows there is red tide detected in different parts of Tampa Bay. Beaches that are impacted include the following: St Pete, Redington Beach, Coquina Key Park, Vinoy Park and Maderia Beach. For current beach conditions, Mote Marine takes samples and updates its website.
For more information, visit https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/red-tide-tampa-bay/67-796f8232-4e1a-47a9-9bea-1e039d008de4
GET WET! 