Does the smell of dead marine life at the beach mean red tide is present?

Many smells may remind beachgoers of the stench of red tide, but that doesn’t always mean its present in the water.

The toxin produced by the organism that causes red tide, Karenia brevis, kills fish and other marine life, leading to an undeniable funk. But the most reliable indicators of red tide are health-related symptoms directly caused by swimming in affected waters, including coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, sore throat or skin irritation.

The smell of dead marine life or decaying seaweed alone isn’t an indicator of red tide. 

The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County collects weekly water samples from 16 public beaches to test for red tide and other bacteria. As of Sept. 8, no red tide was detected in any local beach waters.

Beachgoers can check the results online to determine whether any strong odors are from red tide.