Red Tide Community Workshop at Pine Island

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UPDATE: In late September, Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic damage to Pine Island and surrounding areas, and our thoughts are with the community at this difficult time. We understand that the immediate focus of community members is on safety and recovering from the storm. We look forward to continuing our discussions with stakeholders in the area at a more appropriate time in the future.

NOAA Fisheries will hold an in-person workshop for the public to discuss and provide feedback on ongoing red tide research. NOAA’s Pine Island Red Tide Community Workshop is a follow up to the August 27, 2018 workshop in Pine Island, Florida. The Southeast Fisheries Science Center is hosting the workshop in collaboration with NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.  

The purpose of this workshop is to present findings from research initiatives, and to continue the dialogue with community members on current red tide concerns and research needs. NOAA Fisheries and its partners will provide an overview of the concerns highlighted in 2018, and the actions we took as a result. This includes research on ecosystem impacts and the development of a collaborative monitoring program. We will answer questions and accept comments and suggested improvements.   

At the August 2018 meeting, community members and scientists gathered to document: 

• Some of the major factors affecting local fisheries 
• How changes in ecosystems affected local businesses and communities
• What were the most pressing research needs related to fisheries management. 

During this workshop, red tide was highlighted as a key community concern. NOAA scientists initiated a series of research and communication strategies to respond to this concern.