Thousands of dead fish have been found littering the shore of downtown St. Petersburg, from North Shore Park to Demens Landing and Lassing Parks.
The latest report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows high concentrations of the organism that causes red tide are being found off Anclote Key — on the Pinellas-Pasco county line — and in Tampa Bay. Medium concentrations are also being found off Nokomis, in southern Sarasota County.
A spokesman for St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman told the Tampa Bay Times that crews have been scooping dead fish from the shoreline since Wednesday. They are trying to clean it up for the Fourth of July festivities and for a possible landfall by Hurricane Elsa.
Fish kills suspected to have been caused by red tide have also been found in Pasco and Hillsborough counties. Background to medium concentrations of the red tide organism were found in Manatee County.
Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported over the past week in Pinellas and Sarasota counties.
