FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) has created text notification system to track red tide effect on adult red drum.
Large red drum (also known as redfish) form spawning aggregations of several thousand fish in coastal waters during September-November each year. FWC biologists need your help in documenting where these aggregations are occurring on Florida’s Gulf Coast and reporting any large red drum that are observed dead from now through the end of November.
If you spot either adult red drum aggregations or adult red drum individuals (at least 30” total length) floating dead or on shore, please text our dedicated red drum number: 727-272-8505 immediately. Please include: location-both a general area and GPS coordinates, a video or photo (video is preferred to show size/scope of kill), and the date and time.
This effort is part of FWRI’s rapid response to track the impact of this red tide event on red drum spawning aggregations: bit.ly/2R23bqG . Your information will make it possible for biologists to map these kills, and if any large kills are reported, collect age and genetic samples to better understand survival rates.
Reminder – please continue to report all other fish kills to our Fish Kill Hotline: 800-636-0511.