NewsSarasota, Manatee CountyAnna Maria Island

Actions

Sea turtles and dolphins impacted by red tide in Manatee County

Posted at 2:15 PM, Aug 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-09 17:41:27-04

Red tide continues to impact beaches along Sarasota and Manatee counties. The largest fish kill in Manatee County appears to be in the Bradenton Beach area. Mote Marine reports at least four dead dolphins with red tide symptoms. Scientists are doing necropsies on the dolphins Wednesday afternoon.

Sea Turtles are also feeling the impact. Mote reports getting calls for about sixty sick sea turtles.

"We are gearing up for it to get worse, I’ve already put calls out to our partners north and south to get people in here," said scientist Gretchen Lovewell.

Suzi Fox is the head of the Anna Maria Turtle Watch. She is concerned about the adult sea turtles.

“The adult turtles have to eat, they live here year round and they will have to nibble on this stuff so, the quicker this stuff moves away the better the adults will do,” said Fox.

Fox said they have volunteers walking the beaches looking for baby sea turtles.  

“We really need those marine animals to move out of here and eat somewhere else, go to north Clearwater it’s still good,” said Fox.

Forecasters said red tide could eventually impact Pinellas County beaches, depending on wind and currents.