Red Tide
To satisfy the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) guidelines, water and shellfish meat samples are collected by Division of Aquaculture staff for testing. Determination of red tide cell counts and brevetoxin toxicity are procedures completed by Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute personnel.
A live count method is used to determine the number of Karenia brevis cells per liter of seawater. Background levels of K. brevis throughout the year are usually 1,000 cells or less per liter of seawater. Counts of 5,000 K. brevis cells per liter or greater close shellfish harvesting areas. A shellfish harvesting area is not reopened until cell counts drop below 5,000 K. brevis cells per liter and bioassay tests confirm the shellfish are not toxic.
- Daily Status
- Red Tide Regulations [PDF]
- Florida Marine Research Institute (FWRI Red Tide Site)
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