Florida Red Tides

On Sept. 27, 1999, county health departments began advising people to avoid beaches and waterways because of separate red tides along the FL panhandle coast in the Gulf of Mexico and south of Jacksonville along the Atlantic coast. The Gulf bloom reportedly began in Port St. Joe about several weeks ago, while the Atlantic bloom was reported to have begun about a week ago in Duval County. Individuals on beaches have reported eye and respiratory irritation. On Sept. 28 and 29, 1999, a series of fish kills (mullet, trout, redfish, and sheepshead) attributed to the red tide were reported in the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Johns County.

[Assoc Press, Jacksonville Times-Union]