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As red tide continues along Florida coast, businesses make adjustments

Red tide has been detected at high and medium levels down the coast of southwest Florida, and it can often impact local business.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — High levels of red tide have been detected in Sarasota and Manatee counties and medium levels of the harmful algal bloom have been reported in Pinellas County.

While you might not notice it when you’re out on the beach, for those whose livelihood is out on the water, when ride tide hits, they need to adjust.

“Going on 20 years, I've never seen it in the winter time months," Captain Brett Norris with Rock Bottom Sport Fishing Charters said.

Norris has been guiding fishing tours on bay area waterways for over two decades. He says in his experience, it’s unusual to see red tide this time of year.

“We’ve never seen the red tide in February in our lives," Norris said.

Although red tide hasn’t hit Pinellas County as hard as it has further south, Norris says it can cause some headaches out on the water.

“Your bait will start flipping out of the live well, your customers will start coughing, you'll start coughing," Norris explained.

Back on shore, the pesky algae can take a toll on waterfront businesses as well. 

"Terrible. Anyone that is along the coast," Rick Falkenstein, the owner of Hurricanes Seafood Restaurant said. "And if you get red tide like we had – I believe it was last year or a year before, it was very detrimental to anyone's business."

Norris says for fishing charters, despite the fact that red tide can kill bait fish, and scare away customers, in some cases it actually makes things easier.

"Red tide does push fish—you’re going to find larger congregations of fish in areas that you’ve never seen before," he said. "I've honestly had some of my trips during red tide because it's pushing a large amount of fish in a small area."

For Norris, and others who make their living on the water, they want customers to know they’ll adjust to make sure it’s business as usual.

“I think you just kind of run from it," Norris said. "We run from it and hope it blows out of here, fishing doesn’t get affected by red tide like people think.”

The Sarasota County Health Department shares this tip on fishing where red tide conditions are present.

"Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts."

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