Are there any marine or environmental concerns that could impact my vacation to Siesta Key?
You might be feeling concerned about Red Tide and your upcoming vacation to Siesta Key. We feel like the more you know, the better that you can prepare. We want to help keep our guests up to date on the latest Red Tide related news.
Want a firsthand look of Siesta Key Beach? Check out the live beach cam.
To stay up to date on the latest Red Tide related news, we encourage you to check out these local professional resources.
- https://mote.org/research/program/environmental-health/beach-conditions-report-red-tide-information
- https://mote.org/news/florida-red-tide
- https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/redtide.html
- https://visitbeaches.org/
- https://www.visitsarasota.com/article/beach-conditions-red-tide-and-travel-alerts
What Is Red Tide?
According to the NOAA, “a ‘red tide’ is a common term used for a harmful algal bloom.” Furthermore, “Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae—simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater—grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds.”
What Causes Red Tide?
There are multiple reasons that Red Tide sometimes spreads so rapidly, both natural and human-related.
The major determinant on whether Red Tide arrives on our shores is the strength of the wind over the ocean. If the wind is not strong enough, the algae is able to settle versus getting broken up and dispersed.
Does Red Tide Happen Elsewhere?
The short answer is, yes. Red Tide is a natural occurrence all over the world. The algae that causes Florida’s Red Tide is found specifically in the Gulf of Mexico, but other species of algae can create Red Tide in other areas.
To read more of the most Frequently Asked Red Tide questions, we encourage you to check out the Mote Marine Lab’s FAQs page.
