Health department drops red tide advisories in Sarasota

With red tide levels receding in the coastal waters of Manatee and Sarasota counties, the Florida Department of Health’s Sarasota office on Wednesday rescinded its health advisory in place on all 16 county beaches since Nov. 1.

Check out the Observer's red tide status map

Signs advising beachgoers of higher-than-acceptable levels of Karenia brevis, the bacteria that causes red tide, have been removed from county-operated beaches.

Generally, the bloom that affected Sarasota County for weeks this autumn has moved north, with higher levels reported in the waters of Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

No advisories of any kind are posted for Sarasota area beaches.