A lot of dead fish washed up on our beaches earlier this week due to the red tide. Our Public Services staff along with Pinellas County contractors have been busy trying to keep up with cleaning the beaches. Pinellas County reports that over 102 tons of red tide debris has been cleaned up and disposed of to date.
Please know that the Town of Indian Shores is monitoring the condition of our beaches daily and making every effort to keep them maintained. It is quite a challenge to keep up with this type of effort, but Public Services staff will continue with cleanup as needed when available. We call Pinellas County’s contractors in with large equipment when the wrack line of dead fish becomes heavy.
In cases where there may be just a few dead fish that are in the way, residents and visitors are encouraged to help with cleanup if possible by bagging dead fish and disposing of them in the dumpster provided at Tiki Gardens (196th and Gulf Boulevard) for this massive cleanup effort.
Please also be aware that some people experience respiratory irritation (coughing, sneezing, tearing and an itchy throat) when the Florida red tide organism is present and winds blow onshore. The Florida Department of Health advises people with severe or chronic respiratory conditions, such as emphysema, asthma, or COPD to avoid red tide areas.
See our Red Tide webpage and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) webpage for current information on red tide.