The red tide forecast predicts very low concentrations of the toxic algae in Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay waters at the north tip of Anna Maria Island, and low concentrations around the rest of the Island through at least Monday, Oct. 22, according to the University of South Florida/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.
Hurricane Michael did not destroy the red tide bloom that showed up in local waters on Aug. 3, but local levels are staying low, according to an Oct. 19 FWC report.
The report shows low concentrations of red tide in water samples on Oct. 15 at Cortez Beach and Longboat Pass (Bradenton Beach), with very low concentrations at the Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria and none at the Palma Sola Bay bridge.
Background concentrations of red tide cause no anticipated effects. Low levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and possible fish kills. Medium levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and probable fish kills. High levels can cause all of the above, plus water discoloration.
Respiratory irritation was reported on Oct. 11, Oct. 13 and Oct. 17-18 at Coquina Beach (Bradenton Beach) and Oct. 11-13 and Oct. 16-18 at Manatee Beach (Holmes Beach).
No fish kills were reported in Manatee County from Oct. 12-19.
Red tide is a type of algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and shorebirds that feed on affected fish, red tide makes shellfish unfit to eat, and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or other respiratory diseases.
The bloom has been spreading in the southwest Gulf of Mexico for the past year and was first detected in Florida’s east coast waters early this month.
Low concentrations of red tide are predicted in Island waters from Oct. 13-15 by NOAA and the University of South Florida/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.
Today’s report from the FWC shows that red tide had decreased in waters off Anna Maria Island before Hurricane Michael passed by on Oct. 10.
Wildlife affected by red tide
Manatees
At least 172 manatees have died during the red tide bloom that has plagued Southwest Florida since October 2017, and which reached Anna Maria Island on Aug. 3.
To date, 67 dead manatees tested positive for red tide, and red tide is suspected in 105 manatee deaths, according to the FWC.
Nine manatee deaths have been recorded in Manatee County so far this year, three in Anna Maria Sound; none are confirmed from red tide.
So far this year, 676 manatees have died in state waters, compared to 538 in all of 2017.
Sea turtles
Since the red tide began locally in August, the Mote Marine Laboratory Stranding Investigations Program, serving Sarasota County and part of Manatee County, has taken in 216 sea turtles, only 14 of which were alive, with many of the deaths due to red tide exposure. Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring has recorded 36 sea turtle strandings.
Dolphins
Mote has recorded 21 deceased bottlenose dolphins, 10 from red tide exposure. In all, 66 dolphins have stranded during the red tide as of Oct. 11, according to NOAA. No new strandings have been reported since Sept. 27.
Birds
Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Inc. in Bradenton Beach has taken in between 60-70 birds sick from eating fish contaminated with red tide, mostly cormorants and laughing gulls.
The Oct. 12 report shows that Manatee County water samples with medium or high levels of red tide decreased from 5 percent to 25 percent from the previous week.
Low concentrations of red tide were found in water samples on Oct. 8 at Longboat Pass, with very low concentrations at the Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria and background concentrations at Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach, with none at the Palma Sola Bay bridge.
Foam washed up on Anna Maria Island’s beaches after Hurricane Michael passed Wednesday. Scientists warn that foam has high concentrations of red tide and should not be touched. – Cindy Lane | Sun
Background concentrations of red tide cause no anticipated effects. Low levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and possible fish kills. Medium levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and probable fish kills. High levels can cause all of the above, plus water discoloration.
Respiratory irritation was reported on Oct. 4, and from Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 10-11 at Coquina Beach (Bradenton Beach), and Oct. 5-7 and Oct. 10-11 at Manatee Beach (Holmes Beach).
Fish kills also were reported in Manatee County over the past week.
Dead fish killed by red tide washed up on the beach. Manatee County crews rake the beaches daily. – Cindy Lane | Sun
Red tide is a type of algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and shorebirds that feed on affected fish, red tide makes shellfish unfit to eat, and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or other respiratory diseases.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Local charter fishing captains support the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) executive order that temporarily imposes catch-and-release restrictions on snook and redfish because of red tide.
Issued by the FWC Executive Director Eric Sutton on August 30, the executive order applies from the northernmost point of Anna Maria Island in Manatee County to Gordon Pass in Naples and Collier County.
Sutton’s order is scheduled for review and additional discussion at the FWC Commission’s Sept. 26 meeting.
“I support Eric Sutton’s decision to implement the executive order as we continue to manage this world-class fishery for future generations. We will continue working with our partners and will evaluate next steps at our commission meeting,” FWC Chairman Bo Rivard said in the FWC news release.
“We’ve seen the devastation of redfish and snook populations in southwest Florida and we support the catch-and-release initiative taken by FWC,” said Brian Gorski, executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association Florida (CCA).
“We’ve heard support from members and guides throughout the state who also understand the need for such a change to ensure that generations to come can enjoy the thrill of catching one of these iconic species.”
Local reaction
Holmes Beach resident charter fishing Captain Scott Moore has been fishing the local waters near Anna Maria Island for more than 40 years, and he supports the catch-and-release order.
“If they limit snook and redfish to catch-and-release for one season, that will give those fish a chance to rebound and it won’t hurt anybody economically. There’s plenty of other fish to eat. We’ve got mackerel, beautiful mangrove snapper, trout and other fish that are eatable. With my customers, we’ll go catch and release a few snooks and then we’ll go catch some snapper and Spanish mackerel to take home to eat,” Moore said.
“From Tampa Bay south, the reoccurring red tide has really knocked down the population of snook and redfish. What we want to do is give them a break and preserve what’s out there so they can spawn,” he said.
“Snooks, from here south, had significant brood stock snook killed because of the time of the year we had the red tide. In June, they had horrific red tides south of here and it killed those fish that were spawning in the passes. Right now, redfish are going out in the Gulf to spawn, which I’m very concerned about. Redfish spawn in September, October and into November. If that red tide is lying offshore it will kill the brood stock,” Moore said.
Local charter Captain Nate Weismann supports the catch-and-release order.
“I do not allow clients to harvest snook, and starting about nine months ago, I stopped keeping redfish as well. I just don’t feel good killing these fish given the number of them here locally. Redfish stocks have seemed to decline sharply in the last several years. I would’ve loved to see the FWC extend the emergency closure to trout as well,” he said.
Weissman said he’s seen a 75 percent decline in business in August and September due to the red tide.
“It literally happened overnight,” he said.
Local charter Captain Carson Wooten supports the catch-and-release order.
“It’s a positive thing for the fishery in our area. For me, it doesn’t really make a difference as far as it being closed on those two species. I always encourage catch-and-release on my charters anyways, but if they want to keep a couple fish, there are plenty of other fish to keep such as trout, snapper, mackerel and flounder,” he said.
Captain Lance Plowman said the catch-and-release order does not impact Cortez Deep Sea Fishing and others whose fishing excursions go much further out in the Gulf.
“You’ll see redfish sometimes at three miles out, but snook you don’t really catch past the beach. They go out deep and spawn, but you don’t really catch them out there.”
When asked how the red tide is impacting the local deep sea fishing industry, Plowman said, “Other than people not being here, it’s not affecting us at all.”
BRADENTON BEACH – Cortez fisherman and businessman John Banyas is seeking a state-issued special activity license allowing him a greater ability to harvest mullet and threadfin herring when those species are threatened by red tide.
Banyas will ask the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for the special license, and the city of Bradenton Beach has agreed to serve as the applicant and license holder for those efforts.
“My concern is to utilize the fish before they are wasted,” Banyas said when addressing the Bradenton Beach commission on Thursday, Sept. 6. “It’s like you were fish farming and knowing you were going to lose the oxygen in your fish ponds. A prudent farmer would harvest those fish before they die and go to waste.”
Banyas first proffered this idea during an Aug. 14 gathering of local restauranteurs. He then requested and received letters of support from the Manatee County Commission and Congressman Vern Buchanan. He’s also reached out to State Sen. Bill Galvano.
Banyas owns Cortez Bait & Seafood, Killer Bait, Gulfstream Boats Inc., the Swordfish Grill, N.E. Taylor Boatworks and the restaurant space leased to the Cortez Kitchen – all in Cortez.
He told the Bradenton Beach commission that a special activity license permit can only be issued to a municipality or a research or educational organization. He said he sought the city’s assistance because he was born and raised there – and the village of Cortez does not have its own city government.
On Sept. 26, Banyas will attend the FWC Commission meeting in Tallahassee in hopes of presenting a special licensing request that if approved would allow him and his crew to use a 500-square-foot nylon net with a two-to-four-and-a-half-inch mesh size to harvest mullet. He also seeks permission to use, at one mile out, the one-inch mesh purse seine nets he’s allowed to use at three miles out. Banyas seeks these temporary and limited provisions for waters within five miles of a red tide outbreak or an anticipated outbreak, as determined by FWC.
“This five-mile radius can be adjusted within 24-to-48 hours,” Banyas said.
“It’s only going to be the mullet and the thread herring. This gear catches a designated species. There’s no indirect catch of any other species. I would encourage FWC to provide a marine biologist observer to ride with me to see first-hand what is occurring, and in predicting these fish die-offs,” he said.
If issued, the special activity license would allow Banyas to harvest mullet and thread herring in any state water being threatened by red tide, as determined FWC. This would include Sarasota Bay.
“If red tide was here on Bradenton Beach and St. Pete was clean, clear and fresh, I couldn’t go over there. I would be bound to be within a five-mile radius within the red tide. It would have to be fish that are in jeopardy of dying,” Banyas said.
“Right now, this might not help us because all our fish are dead. This will potentially help in other areas as the red tide continues to travel north. The red tide is moving more over to Hillsborough and Pinellas counties,” he said.
Banyas seeks a one-time license that would expire on Dec. 31 but potentially establish a permitting precedent for future years.
“If all this doesn’t work this year, I’ve made ground getting through to them. If we’ve got to do it the next time this happens, the groundwork is set. We know red tide is going to come back, and I’d like to utilize the resource before they die the next time red tide is present,” Banyas said.
To protect the city from liability concerns, City Attorney Ricinda Perry recommended the city be added to Banyas’ insurance policy and that Banyas and the city enter into an indemnification and hold harmless agreement that relieves the city of any liability related to Banyas’ fishing activities. Banyas agreed to those terms.
After further discussion, the commission unanimously supported Commissioner Jake Spooner’s motion to authorize Banyas to apply for a special activity license using the city of Bradenton Beach as the applicant and license holder and to perform work under the license, if approved, as a non-exclusive contractor.
Banyas was asked later if he expects pushback from the recreational fishing community.
“I couldn’t see why, because who wants to waste the fish? I just want the mullet and the thread herring. Why sit there and watch them die and worry about cleaning them up and or the carcasses going to the bottom and creating bacteria that contaminate the water. I’m not out to change the law, it’s just to catch the fish before they die,” he said.
HOLMES BEACH – There have been three reported coyote sightings in Holmes Beach in the past week and pet owners are advised not to leave their pets outside and unattended.
At approximately 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Capt. Carson Wooten, from Island Fishing Charters, was driving onto the Island on Manatee Avenue when he spotted a large coyote on the west side of the Anna Maria Bridge, near the portable roadside messaging sign across the street from the Publix and former Bank of America building.
“I was coming over the bridge and it was actually on the sidewalk out by the road and the sign when I first saw it. I pulled over and it ran toward the bushes. It ran about halfway, stopped and stood in the grass checking me out and I just happened to get a couple pictures of it,” Wooten said.
To deter coyotes, the FWC recommends keeping cats and dogs indoors, feeding them indoors and putting trash out in the morning instead of at night.
When walking a dog on a leash, carry a stick, noisemaker, golf club or pepper spray, particularly around sunrise or sunset and near water, and if a coyote approaches, don’t run – pick up the dog, if possible, stand as tall as possible and yell.
The Humane Society suggests raking around bird feeders, removing fruit from the ground and using trash cans with tight-fitting lids. If a coyote approaches, “hazing” techniques include yelling and waving your arms, using whistles, air horns or soda cans filled with pennies, banging pots and pans, throwing sticks, small rocks and balls, spraying water hoses or using water guns or spray bottles filled with vinegar water.
Never feed coyotes, experts say.
Neither the state nor the county will trap and remove coyotes.
Wooten estimated the coyote’s weight to be around 40 pounds.
Carson Wooten spotted this coyote at the entrance to Holmes Beach. – Carson Wooten | Submitted
“I hunt and I’ve seen a lot of coyotes and this one looked pretty healthy to me. He didn’t look sickly – when they get sick they start losing their hair. It wasn’t aggressive. It ran away and then sat there and hung out while I took pictures. I wondered if maybe he wandered over the bridge from Perico,” Wooten said.
When asked if he’s ever seen a coyote on the Island before, Wooten, a Bradenton resident, said, “Not on the Island. I’ve seen them on Longboat Key before.”
Police response
On Tuesday afternoon, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said his officers responded to a coyote sighting the day before elsewhere in the city, near 81st Street and Marina Drive.
A responding officer from the Holmes Beach Police Department snapped this photo on Monday. – Holmes Beach Police Department | Submitted
“We called (Manatee County) Animal Services because someone said the coyote looked to be hurt. My guys saw it, took a picture of it and were waiting on someone from Animal Services to come out and see if they could corral it and get it medical attention if that’s what it needed. Somebody originally thought it was injured because it was laying underneath a boat on a trailer, but it ran off and the Animal Services person said it looked like it was healthy,” Tokajer said.
“We were told this morning there’s a family of coyotes on the causeway side of our bridge,” he added, noting that his officers are not instructed to trap or destroy the wild animals.
“There’s no reason for it,” he said.
“We know there are coyotes in the area, so be mindful about leaving your pets unsupervised outside. The coyotes are not approaching people. They’re afraid of people, so don’t feed them because we don’t want to change their behavior. We’ve had no attacks on humans, nor have we heard of any attacks on animals. There’s no need to call the police if it’s not attacking somebody,” Tokajer said.
“As more construction happens all over Manatee County, it’s pushing wildlife from their natural habitats into residential areas. We’ve seen it over the past couple years and there’s been sightings near the beach on 71st through 77th streets.”
Fourth of July sighting
At around midnight on the Fourth of July, Holmes Beach resident David Zaccagnino saw and photographed a coyote at the intersection of Avenue E and 29th Street. When contacted Tuesday, Zaccagnino said he was shocked to see a coyote in his neighborhood. He said he’s never seen a coyote on the Island during his 19 years of residency.
Holmes Beach resident David Zaccagnino spotted this coyote on the Fourth of July. – David Zaccagnino | Submitted
Zaccagnino lives near the Grassy Point Preserve – a large tract of undeveloped natural land.
“It looked freaked out from all the fireworks. It might have been scared out of the mangroves,” he said of the coyote he saw.
Zaccagnino said that judging by the photo, the coyote that Wooten spotted today was bigger and bushier than the one that Zaccagnino photographed last week.
FWC insight
Lt. Louis Hinds, from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), was asked if he thought the photo Wooten took was of a coyote. He said it was.
He then discussed FWC’s response to coyote sightings.
“We don’t get involved unless somebody asks us to get involved. We don’t actively trap them or destroy them unless they’re causing a problem. If people give them their space and leave them alone they’ll move on eventually. Make sure the pets are secured properly and you don’t want to let your small cats or dogs outside unattended because they will snatch those up as animals of opportunity,” Hinds said.
When asked if coyotes pose a danger to humans, Hinds said, “No.”
Straight talk
The photos Wooten and Zaccagnino took were also shown to Ed and Gail Straight from the Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center. They both believed the photos were of coyotes.
Ed Straight said they received a call from the Holmes Beach Police Department dispatcher on Monday and referred that call to Animal Services because the animal was reported as possibly being sick or injured.
Straight said a sick coyote probably has distemper and the neurological effects of distemper gives the impression that the animal is limping. Straight said Animal Services would be the agency to contact about a sick coyote, but Animal Services is not expected to respond to calls about a healthy exotic animal like a coyote.
“They’re too smart to trap and they’re too big to get one of those loops around their neck. They’d almost have to be tranquilized to remove them, and that’s pretty hard with a moving target. We don’t have any way of capturing them and they don’t need to be captured,” Straight said regarding healthy coyotes.
“We might do it if FWC asked us to help, but normally they don’t want us rehabbing them. They’re considered exotics, so if we get one we’d either have to put it down or take them to a refuge that would take them in, which is not a very good place for a coyote to spend its life,” Straight said.
“I don’t think they’re dangerous to people unless somebody starts feeding them – just like gators and things like that. They’re afraid of people and usually run the other way. If you value your cats and little dogs don’t put them out at night. They definitely like cats and they can jump a pretty high fence.”
Straight said the coyote population has exploded in the United States and Canada in recent years.
“We’ve always felt like it’s a matter of time before they’re out here, because they’re everywhere else in Manatee County,” he said.
When asked how coyotes might find their way onto the Island, Straight said, “They’d almost have to run across the bridge.”
Straight said Wildlife Inc. received a couple calls in the past week about coyotes in west Bradenton, but the call from the Holmes Beach Police Department on Monday was the first recent call about a coyote on the Island.
“Two years ago, someone said they saw one over by Runaway Bay. (Local veterinarian) Dr. Bystrom saw one where he lives on the Holmes Beach/Anna Maria border and that was about two years ago, and one was seen on Key Royale about two years ago,” Straight said.
About 9 percent of the state’s 6,250 manatees counted in the 2016 survey died last year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Statewide, 509 manatees died, up from 405 manatees in 2015, including 102 from watercraft collisions, up from 87 in 2015.
In their namesake Manatee County, four manatees were killed in watercraft collisions in 2016. The four are among the 15 manatees that died in the county last year, one more than in the previous year, according to the mortality report covering Jan.1 to Dec. 31, 2016.
Six manatee deaths in the county were listed as natural, including two red tide deaths in Palma Sola Bay in October and November, two undetermined, two perinatal and one cold stress death, according to the report.
The FWC advises boaters and personal watercraft operators to slow down near shore; speed reductions are mandatory in manatee zones.
If you see an injured, dead, tagged or orphaned manatee, or a manatee being harassed, call the FWC at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on your mobile phone, use VHF Channel 16 on your marine radio, or send a text message to Tip@MyFWC.com.
