Red Tide was found in the St. Joe Bay in Gulf County last week.

Red Tide was found in the St. Joe Bay in Gulf County last week.

The algae was found in medium concentrations in mid St. Joe Bay on September 24th causing officials to close the Bay Scallop season there 5 days early.

Medium concentrations range from 100 thousand to 1 million cells per liter of water and is enough to cause respiratory irritation and even fish kills.

Red tide was also found in low concentrations in water off the St. Joseph Peninsula State Park and at St Joseph Point.

Red tide was detected in background concentrations off of Neptune Street North of Indian lagoon.

So far it has not been detected in Franklin County waters.

Red Tide is a microscopic marine algae called Karenia brevis.

In large enough concentrations its toxin paralyzes the central nervous system of fish so they cannot breathe – leading to fish kills.

Red tide can even affect humans causing skin, eye and throat irritation.

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