Dead fish washing ashore on Lido Beach as Mote Marine Laboratory confirms red tide
SARASOTA, Fla. - At the water's edge, some beach goers took photos and others stopped to look at the dead fish, which could be seen as far as the eye could see on Lido Beach.
What they're saying:
"When we first walked in from the back of the beach, right when we got to the shore you can see there’s a line of it," said Jeremy Barberine, a New York resident visiting the area.
READ: Mote Marine Laboratory unveils new tools in fight against red tide, algal blooms
Barberine, Leslie Pliss and their family were on a break from New York and didn't let the sight bother them.
"I’m glad we are here. It’s still beautiful," said Pliss. "There is a bit of a smell, but it’s not that bad. I’m not coughing or sneezing or anything."
However, for some beach goers, the sign and the smell were a bit too much.
"I knew there was some red tide previously, but I didn’t know there was any going on right now. So when I walked out there and saw all the dead fish, I was not going to go in the water," said Katie Miranda.
Miranda and her friends didn’t let the fish drive them away, though. For Miranda, it was a day to celebrate, so they chose a spot farther away from the shore.
"I’m not letting it ruin my birthday. I’m still going to enjoy the beach. Maybe stay for a couple of hours if I can handle it," she said.
Big picture view:
Mote Marine Laboratory said they are monitoring a bloom in the area, and they confirmed its red tide through sampling. They said they've conducted field deployment testing and continue to analyze the results.
MORE: Sarasota County launches public survey for recovery plans from recent hurricanes, storms
"Mote will provide more information after its team has fully analyzed the data collected pre- and post-treatment," they told FOX 13.
Many beach goers decided to stay at the beach despite the red tide on a holiday free from work.
"We’ve been through a few red tides. I live maybe two miles inland, and you can feel it from home. So if you’re not feeling it, smelling it, come on out," said Henley Connor.
What you can do:
For more information, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's red tide status page or Mote's beach condition map.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered through interviews with beach goers as well as details given from Mote Marine Laboratory.
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