Nutrients and Red Tide in Florida: State of the Science Symposium
Florida Sea Grant (FSG) and The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) convened a Nutrients and Red Tide in Florida: State of the Science Symposium. With funding by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute’s Harmful Algal Bloom Grant Program and at the request of the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Task Force, on April 21-23, 2025, at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg campus.
Facilitation and note-taking assistance was provided by the UF Water Institute, Mote Marine Laboratory, University of Florida, and Florida Sea Grant.
Symposium Topics
- Nutrient Dynamics across Bloom Stages
- Tracking Nutrients through Systems
- Management and Response
The purpose of this invitation-only symposium was to assess the current state of knowledge, to share updates on new findings and ongoing efforts, and to guide future management and research priorities addressing nutrients and red tide.
Objectives:
- Encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and dialogue
- Synthesize the current state of knowledge and efforts and identify gaps regarding the role and contribution of nutrients in red tide events
- Identify and prioritize short- and long-term research needs and strategies
- Identify connections to local, regional, and state management policy interventions
A symposium white paper was developed with the information generated during the 2.5-day symposium.
Symposium Team
Chair – Lisa Krimsky, UF/IFAS and Florida Sea Grant
Co-Chair – Betty Staugler, Florida Sea Grant
Facilitator – Joy Hazell, UF/IFAS and Florida Sea Grant
Steering Committee (SC) & Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Members
Meghan Abbott, FWC-Fish & Wildlife Research Institute (SC)
Kristen Buck, Oregon State University & University of South Florida (SC)
Yesenia Escribano, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (SC)
Emily Hall, Mote Marine Laboratory (SC)
Katherine Hubbard, FWC-Fish & Wildlife Research Institute (TAC)
Nicole Iadevaia, Coastal & Heartland National Estuary Program (SC)
Angela Knapp, Texas A & M University (TAC)
Yonggang Liu, University of South Florida (TAC)
Michael Parsons, Florida Gulf Coast University (TAC)
Mark Rains, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
Ed Sherwood, Tampa Bay Estuary Program (SC & TAC)
Rhonda Watkins, Collier County (SC)
David Whiting, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (SC)
Presentations
Session 1: Nutrient Dynamics across Bloom Stages
Synthesis Presentations
Nutrients & Red Tide State of the Science Symposium | Cynthia Heil, Mote Marine Laboratory and Kate Hubbard, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
West Florida Shelf Nutrient and Isotopic Monitoring | Angela Knapp, TAMU College Station
Lighting Presentations
Karenia Nutrients in 5 Minutes | Pat Glibert, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Nutrients and Carbonate Chemistry Associated with HABs | Emily Hall, Mote Marine Laboratory
From the Seabed: Coastal Groundwater, Submarine Groundwater, and Benthic Exchange | Christopher Smith, U.S. Geological Survey
Trace Metals | Salvatore Caprara, Oregon State University
Session 2: Tracking Nutrients through Systems
Synthesis Presentation
Tracking Nutrients through Systems: A synthesis | Chris Anastasiou, Southwest Florida Water Management District
Lighting Presentations
Tracking Nutrients through the Piney Point Discharge Event | Marcus Beck and Ed Sherwood, Tampa Bay Estuary Program
Red Tide Duration and Nitrogen Loads | David Tomasko, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program
Complexities of Tracking Nutrients on the West Florida Coast: Hurricanes and Upwelling Events | Yonggang Liu, University of South Florida
Session 3: Management and Response
Synthesis Presentations
Legislative Responses to Red Tide | Jon Paul “J.P.”
Brooker, Ocean Conservancy
DEP’s Water Quality Restoration Program | David Whiting, Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Lighting Presentations
FDACS Office of Agricultural Water Policy Agricultural Nutrient Management | Kathryn Holland, Office of Agricultural Water Policy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Healing the Harbor: Nutrient mitigation strategies for an impaired estuary | Brandon Moody, Charlotte County Administration
Some Data Needs for Modeling Nutrient Loading Influence on Florida Karenia Blooms | Rick Bartleson, Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation
Effect of Decomposing Fish in Prolonging Red Tide Events | Michael Parsons, Florida Gulf Coast University
