HomeCommunity NewsCounty addresses red tide

County addresses red tide

Red tide remains off Anna Maria Island, and undoubtedly will continue to return in the future, Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources department, told Manatee County commissioners this week in his report on the county’s activities to address the outbreak.

“It’s still there. We’re still seeing results coming ashore on our beaches,” he said, adding that the county has two beach rakes cleaning the beaches, with Mark Taylor, the full-time beach raker, putting in 21 straight days without a day off.

“As a natural occurrence, it’s always with us,” Hunsicker said. “It’s only when it blooms in a fantastic abundance that it starts to affect the respiratory abilities of fish,” affecting the smallest fish first, then the larger ones as they ingest the smaller ones. “Red tide is in the water column. I can’t paint it any worse than that.”

Hunsicker predicted that the naturally-occurring algae, which was first reported as early as the 1700s off Florida’s coast, will continue to affect county beaches.

“As sure as we will see blue skies and blue water and sandy beaches again in the years to come, we may and will be revisited by red tide,” he said.

“The red tide is absolute in its effect and very difficult to mitigate,” Hunsicker said, adding that its severity can vary from day to day and place to place.

During the current outbreak, which began on Aug. 3, the county has taken several actions, Hunsicker said:

  • Adopted stringent local stormwater controls to protect the Outstanding Florida Waters classification for Sarasota Bay
  • Completed enhanced levels of wastewater treatment in March 2017 to lower nitrogen levels in its reclaimed water distribution systems at a cost of more than $21 million
  • Implemented summer fertilizer use restrictions
  • Mobilized a 12-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week project to clean beaches and boat ramps
  • Provided dumpsters at 16 locations to provide citizens the opportunity to dispose of fish
  • Mobilized emergency services through Aptim Environmental and Infrastructure and SWS to provide three collection vessels for floating fish, a transport vessel for hauling collected fish to shore dumpster locations, and administration for in-water collection services
  • Organized three volunteer clean-up events with department staff along the Palma Sola Causeway
  • Initiated the “Nets to Neighbors Program” providing nets to residents who are able to clean their own canals.

Related coverage

Red tide continues to increase

County approves $500,000 more for red tide beach cleanup

Red tide resources

Most Popular

More from Author

Surf shop celebrates 60

HOLMES BEACH – Jim Brady’s West Coast Surf Shop is in...

Cortez founded on mullet

CORTEZ – A visit by Dr. Angela Collins to the Cortez...

Underwater Anna Maria Island gallery

Hold your breath and take a tour of the limestone reefs...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...