Overview of Florida’s State HAB Programs and the 2015-2016 Red Tide Event

Dr. Katherine Hubbard

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)“Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of the

people”

2016 Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission Meeting

I. Event response informed by collaborative routine monitoring efforts around the state and reports to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline/Fish and Wildlife Health

FL HAB Monitoring/ Event Response

http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/tools/

I. Event response informed by collaborative routine monitoring efforts around the state and reports to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline/Fish and Wildlife Health

FL HAB Monitoring/ Event Response

II. Samples collected by FWC, FDACS, and partners

Volunteer Coverage 2014-15

~100-150 fixed samples per week

I. Event response informed by collaborative routine monitoring efforts around the state and reports to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline/Fish and Wildlife Health

FL HAB Monitoring/ Event Response

II. Samples collected by FWC, FDACS, and partners

III. Scientists at FWC analyze water and tissue samples

IV. Data is disseminated to partners and the public and maintained in our historical database

I. Event response informed by collaborative routine monitoring efforts around the state and reports to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline/Fish and Wildlife Health

FL HAB Monitoring/ Event Response

II. Samples collected by FWC, FDACS, and partners

III. Scientists at FWC analyze water and tissue samples

IV. Data is disseminated to partners and the public and maintained in our historical database

Pyrodinium bahamense

Karenia brevis

Pseudo-nitzschia spp.

HABs reported daily

FWC HAB Reporting and Outreach

http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/

Social Media/ Outreach• Joint Facebook page with Mote Marine Lab• Flickr• Red tide videos on Youtube• Red tide guides and infosheets• Outreach products

1/13-1/20/16

1/21-1/29/16

1/13 - 1/20 1/21 – 1/29 2/16 – 2/22

NW subsides…?

Summary of FWC datastreams from 2015-2016 K. brevis bloom

FWC - Fish and Wildlife Health

FWC-Manatees

Mote/DOH

Nor

thw

est F

lorid

aSo

uthw

est F

lorid

aSHA closures starting 10/16, continued into 2016

SHA closures starting 11/18, continued into 2016

2015-2016 Bloom timeline2015• Pre-bloom sampling through SEAMAP • Respiratory irritation reported in Panhandle at

beginning of September • Fish kills and respiratory irritation reported in NW

and SW FL (9/2015)• NW and SW bloom patches detected via sampling

and satellite when possible (9/2015-present)• NW and SW bloom patches persist and cells were

observed in inshore waters (10/2015 to 2/2016)2016• Lake Okeechobee releases • Concentrations start to decrease around the state

• Persistence in Tampa Bay, Monroe County • Low cell concentrations but still getting reports of

respiratory irritation and fish kills

http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/tools/

2015-2016 Bloom timeline2015• Pre-bloom sampling through SEAMAP • Respiratory irritation reported in Panhandle at

beginning of September • Fish kills and respiratory irritation reported in NW

and SW FL (9/2015)• NW and SW bloom patches detected via sampling

and satellite when possible (9/2015-present)• NW and SW bloom patches persist and cells were

observed in inshore waters (10/2015 to 2/2016)2016• Lake Okeechobee releases • Concentrations start to decrease around the state

• Persistence in Tampa Bay, Monroe County • Low cell concentrations but still getting reports of

respiratory irritation and fish kills

3/8 counts; 3/6 NFLH chl imagery

3/16 Bloom trajectory http://ocgweb.marine.usf.edu/hab_tracking/HAB_trajectories_R5.html

http://optics.marine.usf.edu/

I. Event response informed by collaborative routine monitoring efforts around the state and reports to FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline/Fish and Wildlife Health

FL HAB Monitoring/ Event Response

II. Samples collected by FWC, FDACS, and partners

III. Scientists at FWC analyze water and tissue samples

IV. Data is disseminated to partners and the public and maintained in our historical database

Florida’s >50 HABs

• Brown tide (e.g., Aureoumbra lagunensis)

• Cyanobacteria (e.g., Microcystis, Synechococcus)

• Dinoflagellates (e.g. Alexandrium, Karlodinium)

• Haptophytes (e.g. Prymnesium)

• Raphidophytes (e.g. Chatonella)

V. Scientists work to develop new tools, products, and monitoring strategiesbased on stakeholder needs regional applicability ??

Monitoring the 2015-2016 Red Tide• Predicting/preparing without desired data

• Reduced budget for sampling, especially offshore • Satellite data was spotty for much of the season• Respiratory irritation reports were good early-warnings

• Other HABs can occur during a Karenia bloom• The Karenia bloom coincided (in time, not space) with a brown tide on Florida’s

east coast in 2015/2016• Karenia can also co-occur in space and time with other HABs, including Pseudo-

nitzschia

• Blooms encompassing multiple and/or large areas, and/or lasting for several months, involve more comprehensive response

• Are NW Florida blooms likely to become more prominent? What about Gulf-wide blooms?