The largest red tide bloom to affect Southwest Florida in years stretches nearly 100 miles from Lee County to Pinellas, with reports of fish kills and irritating red-tide air concentrated in Sarasota County.
The widespread nature and intensity of the bloom, strongest off Charlotte Harbor, exceeds a smaller outbreak at this time last year and is the largest to affect the Sarasota area since 2007.More than seven tons of dead fish have been scooped up from Sarasota County beaches alone — from Casey Key south — in just two days. Beaches were clear at Siesta, Lido, Longboat and farther north.
via “Red tide kills fish along South Sarasota County, Charlotte County beaches” | HeraldTribune.com. (link no longer available)
See also: Florida Monitors Massive Florida Red Tide with NOAA’s Help