Hotlines and Reporting Sites for Effects on Marine Animals
FWRI Fish Kill Hotline: (800) 636-0511 (toll-free) The FWRI Fish Kill Hotline is available for callers to report fish kills, diseased fish, or fish with other abnormalities. The hotline’s recorded message asks callers to leave contact information and a detailed report. A biologist will contact the caller, usually the following workday, if more information is needed. This service is part of a federally funded project to survey fish-related diseases and mortalities. Fish kills may also be reported online; visit Report a Fish Kill for additional information and details. (Please note, the FWRI Fish Kill Hotline should NOT be called to request dead fish cleanup; local municipalities are responsible for dead fish cleanup—usually only on public beaches.)
FWRI Sea Turtle Stranding Contact: Allen Foley, (904) 573-3930
FWRI Puffer Fish Kill Contact: Jan Landsberg, (727) 896-8626
Hotlines and Reporting Sites for Effects on Humans
Marine and Freshwater Toxins Hotline: (888) 232-8635 (toll-free) The Marine and Freshwater Toxins Hotline is available for reporting harmful effects associated with a marine or estuarine event. Callers are connected to the Florida Poison Information Center in Miami, which operates 24 hours a day, every day. The center is staffed by health care professionals who will record the caller’s information and assist with health and safety concerns. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) encourages people who have experienced harmful effects associated with exposure to aquatic toxins or harmful algae to call the hotline.
Medical Effects Relating to Humans:
Florida Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health, Aquatic Toxins Program, (850) 245-4299
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) uses satellite imagery, field observations, and buoy data to assess harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico. A report of conditions and additional information are available on the NOAA Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasting System Web page. Selected information from NOAA is incorporated into FWRI’s status report.
Businesses affected by red tide events can find information, offers for "kits" and brochures, links to other sources, and more at http://www.redtideonline.com. This site is maintained by Solutions To Avoid Red Tide (S.T.A.R.T.), a nonprofit group at Longboat Key.
Hardcopy information about Florida red tides is available by request. Please address requests to FWRI, Outreach Coordination Office, 100 Eighth Avenue SE, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. Documents for printing are available at http://research.myfwc.com and http://www.redtideonline.com. Business people are encouraged to make these documents available to visitors who are unlikely to learn about red tide from other local sources.
Manatee County Red Tide Alert Line: (941) 745-3779 The Manatee County Department of Public Safety, Division of Marine Rescue maintains this recorded voice announcement of the status of red tide, with an emphasis on local effects.
Collier County Red Tide Hotline: (239) 732-2591 The Collier County Pollution Control and Prevention Department maintains this hotline. The caller is connected to a recorded message with information options.
University of South Florida (USF) Marine Science (Weisberg) maintains a site for information regarding real-time surface meteorology, currents, and sea level from an array of buoys and coastal stations, http://comps.marine.usf.edu. Experimental red tide forecasts based on wind and current models are now available at http://ocgmod1.marine.usf.edu/WFS/plot_hab.html. Visitors to this site can select an area of interest and view projected movement of red tide blooms from recently sampled locations.
Shellfish Information
Shellfish = bivalves (oysters, clams, and mussels but not scallops)
Shellfish Harvesting Closures For current open/closed status of shellfish areas for harvesting:
Contact one of the following field offices of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS):
Panama City: (850) 236-2200 Apalachicola: (850) 653-8317 Cedar Key: (352) 543-5181 Murdock: (941) 255-7405 Palm Bay: (321) 984-4890
Shellfish Harvesting Area Closures PLEASE CHECK THE FDACS WEB SITE FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
Areas along the southwest Florida coast may be closed for reasons other than red tide. Determine open or closed status BEFORE harvesting.
Volunteers
MANY THANKS to the captains who collect offshore samples as part of FWRI's Volunteer Red Tide Offshore Monitoring Program. Meet the volunteers and learn more about the program:
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 Eighth Avenue SE
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5020
PH: 727-896-8626
Mission Statement
Through effective research and technical knowledge, we provide timely information and guidance to protect, conserve, and manage Florida's fish and wildlife resources.
