Red tide spreads to Ala. Gulf coast

PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Alabama Department of Public Health is cautioning beachgoers that red tide has spread into Baldwin County’s coastal waterways. "(W)ater samples collected from Alabama Point to Little Lagoon Pass in Baldwin County indicate the presence of red tide cells in the low to medium range," according to a media release. In Northwest Florida, the amount of red tide in coastal waters has increased over the last week. New data found: Low concentrations in the Santa Rosa Sound near the Bob Sikes Bridge and at Pensacola Beach; and medium levels at Navarre Beach in Santa Rosa County. Humans can recover from red tide symptoms rather quickly, but the toxins that the organism produces can injure or kill marine life. FWCC reported multiple fish kills for Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Franklin counties. Winds from the south and east may push red tide offshore in the coming days. Red tide in the Gulf is not unusual. Severe red tides have been occurring since the mid-1900s. (Source: WEAR 11/21/18)