Health department posts red tide advisories from Nokomis to Longboat Key

Sarasota County beaches from Nokomis north were placed under a red tide advisory after higher-than-acceptable levels of the bacteria were detected recently in routine testing.

Signs were to be posted at the beach in Nokomis, Turtle Beach, Siesta Key Beach, South Lido, North Lido, Longboat Key and the Sarasota Bay beaches along Bird Key and Ringling Causeway.

See the Observer's red tide tracker

Monday water testing prompted the advisory, which urges those who might be sensitive to red tide to avoid the shoreline or stay inside air conditioned buildings.

According to the Florida Department of Health’s Sarasota office, symptoms such as irritated eyes, nose and throat are typical. Some people may experience more serious symptoms.

Generally, symptoms subside when a person leaves the beach or goes indoors.

The department makes the following recommendations:

• Do not swim around dead fish.
• If you have chronic respiratory problems, consider staying away from the beach as red tide can affect your breathing.
• Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.
• Keep pets away from water, sea foam, and dead sea life.
• Residents living in beach areas who experience respiratory symptoms are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner (ensuring that the A/C filter is maintained according to the manufacturer's specifications).
• If outdoors, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

Red tide levels had been receding in the coastal waters of Manatee and Sarasota counties. On Dec. 21, the Florida Department of Health’s Sarasota office rescinded its health advisory in place on all 16 county beaches since Nov. 1.