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Press release ·

Gulf County Board of County Commissioners Provides Update on Red Tide Water Sampling

GULF COUNTY, Fla. – At a special meeting Thursday, the Gulf County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) reviewed preliminary results from the water sampling it funded last month to help identify what may be contributing to the red tide affecting the area.

The St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program collected the samples Thursday, Oct. 29, at six sites in the Gulf County Canal, the Intracoastal Waterway and the mouth of the Gulf Canal. The preliminary results shared at the meeting are included with this release.

The remaining results are still being processed. Dr. Jessica Graham with the Estuary Program will share them with the BOCC and the public at the next Board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

The BOCC will use the findings to guide next steps for reducing pollution that can worsen blooms and for protecting the health of the bay. The Board is requesting state funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and is working to seek federal funding to support the response to red tide.

Preliminary results: Estuary Program update

Estuary Program update, page 1 of 2: water testing overview, a map of the six sampling sites, and Table 1 of preliminary results from Oct. 29. Fecal coliform (MPN): site 1, 75; site 2, 75; site 3, 201; site 4, 20; site 5, 10; site 6, 30. Harmful algal bloom cells per liter: site 1, 64,000; site 2, 165,000; site 3, 128,000; site 4, 39,000; site 5, 33,000; site 6, 21,000. Chlorophyll-a, total nitrogen and total phosphorus are listed as to be determined.
Estuary Program update, page 2 of 2: next steps, including microbial source tracking for samples from sites 1, 2 and 3, sampling during wet periods, and the scallop release on hold pending a permit; plus an update on red tide mitigation covering monitoring, a possible Lake Guard Oxy deployment on about 1,000 acres, and external human health research.
Source: St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program, sasjbep.org.

Red tide control pilot field deployment: Mote Marine Laboratory

Mote Marine Laboratory fact sheet: Red Tide Control Pilot Field Deployment of Lake Guard Oxy in St. Joseph Bay, November 18, 2026. Covers the overview, objectives, deployment on up to 1,000 acres by vessels and small aircraft, monitoring through December 2, permits, and partner roles. Questions: Lizabeth Longstreet, LLongstreet@mote.org.
Source: Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative.

For updates, follow Gulf County on Facebook and Instagram at @gulfcountygov.

Media contact Katie Shealy
[email protected]
850-247-9843