INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla.—Red tide has been plaguing Florida’s coast for months; and now that low to high concentrations of the toxic algae is being sampled along Pinellas County beaches, reports of dead fish have started rolling in.
Commercial fishermen have reported dead fish a mile off Sand Key Park and at Clearwater Beach, Indian Rocks Beach city officials said.
In an effort to keep the shorelines clean, Pinellas County has hired a debris contractor to start harvesting fish in the Gulf of Mexico -- one mile from Clearwater Beach before the fish reach the shores.
The debris harvesting will be paid for by the grant money from Governor Rick Scott’s executive order. Pinellas County got a $1.3 million grant for red tide cleanup.
There have been reports of dead fish at John’s Pass and North Clearwater Beach.
Indian Rocks Beach officials said so far there have been no reported fish kills in the city, but low concentrations of red tide samples were taken there."
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