Dead fish washed ashore due to a red tide in January on Captiva Island. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
Red tide is impacting humans' own everyday lives — beyond impacting our wildlife — in ways large and small.
- 🐟 St. Pete has removed more than 15 tons of dead fish from its waterways.
- 🏝 Hillsborough County closed the beaches at Apollo Beach Nature Preserve and E.G. Simmons Conservation Park on Friday due to public health concerns.
- 🏖 The National Weather Service issued a beach hazards statement Saturday night, in effect through tonight, advising people to avoid going into the water in coastal southern Pinellas County.
What they're saying: People who live along the water in Coquina Key told WTSP they've never seen this many fish die because of red tide.
What we're seeing: I went to Indian Rocks Beach on Saturday morning and, after a swim and about 20 minutes of sunning, was ready to pack it in.
- My throat was itchy, my nose burned, and I noticed many beachgoers coughing.
Before you go: Visit St. Pete/Clearwater maintains a beach status dashboard here.
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