RED TIDE WREAKS HAVOC ON FLORIDA COAST

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Issues of red tide are popping up throughout southwest Florida, from Pinellas County to Monroe County’s offshore.

category of ‘government overreach.’”

The Conch Republic flag dates back to April 23, 1982, when the federal government placed a Border Patrol roadblock at the Last Chance Saloon in Florida City. A search initially announced to find illegal migrants became more of an operation targeting drugs as law enforcement scoured through engines and glove compartments.

“While the event was not overly prolonged, it went on long enough to ding the tourist economy,” Keys historian Brad Bertelli wrote in a 2021 Keys Weekly History column.

Then-Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow sought an injunction in Miami Superior Court in hopes of removing the checkpoint and bringing regular

“We don’t need Tallahassee telling us how to decorate our offices or board rooms,” she said.

State Rep. Jim Mooney told the Keys Weekly he hadn’t seen the bill, but said he would talk to Borrero to see what he’s thinking with the proposal. The Keys Weekly reached out to Borrero for a comment, but didn’t receive a response before press time.

Legislation was referred to the House’s State Affairs Committee and Constitutional Rights, Rule of Law & Government Operations Subcommittee. A similar bill filed in the Senate by state Sen. Jay Collins was referred to the Senate Government Oversight and Accountability, Community and Rules committees.

According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, red tide was detected in 114 samples, of which 56 possessed medium concentrations throughout the state’s southwest coast. Fifteen of those samples were found offshore of Collier County and one offshore of Monroe County. The rest were found in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

“We continue to use satellite imagery to help track this patchy event,” FWC states.

Possible effects from medium concentrations of red tide include respiratory irritation, shellfish harvest closures and probably fish kills. According to FWC, reports of fish kills in those counties are suspected to be related to the recent red tide event.

Per the University of South Florida and FWC, forecasts for Pinellas County to northern Monroe County predicted northern movement of surface waters and northwestern transport of subsurface waters in most areas.