SARASOTA, Fla. — Sarasota County beachgoers can breathe easier now that red tide seems to be on its way out.
The Florida Department of Health lifted the red tide health advisory for all 16 Sarasota County beaches on Thursday after the algae bloom was detected at "not present" to background levels in the most recent water samples.
The advisory had been in place since Dec. 28, 2022, as the harmful algae Karenia brevis brought respiratory issues and tons of dead marine life to shores up and down the Gulf coast.
The rest of the Tampa Bay area isn't completely in the clear yet.
Red Tide was still detected at low to medium levels this week at beaches from St. Petersburg to Clearwater.
According to the most recent data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, red tide was detected in nine samples: six in Pinellas County and three in Manatee County. You can check out which beaches are affected on the FWC's daily sample map.
10 Tampa Bay also put together a guide of other tools to check the red tide conditions at your local beach.