TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – With the red tide algae bloom seemingly not letting its grip go on the Tampa Bay area, many are asking how they can help alleviate some of the issues, from fish kill waste to helping marine life.

8 On Your Side has compiled a list of a few ways that those who love the beach and coastline can help out, from something as simple as how to report a fish kill.

Here are a few ways Tampa Bay residents can help out.

1. Report red tide effects, including fish kills

Beachgoers can report what they’re experiencing locally with a website created by Mote Marine Laboratory. The website provides beach conditions across our coast of the state.

According to Mote’s website, reports are made through Mote ambassadors to inform the public of conditions on our beaches. Applications are being taken through the system for residents to become a BCSR ambassador.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission monitors a fish kill hotline, which can be reached at 800-636-0511, or a report can be submitted online.

2. Report other dead or distressed marine life

The Tampa Bay area is not only seeing fish kills, but deaths of larger marine life as well, including goliath grouper, dolphins and manatees.

These reports can also be reported to FWC at 888-404-FWCC, *FWC, #FWC or a text message to Tip@MyFWC.com.

3. Help clean up

The City of St. Petersburg is providing dumpsters where those doing their part can drop off the dead fish they clean up from the shores without charge.

Dumpsters around the city are designated “For Dead Fish Only” and are located at:

  • Crisp Park Flora Wylie Park
  • Lassing Park
  • Demen’s Landing Park
  • Grande View Park
  • Bay Vista Park
  • Maximo Park

8 On Your Side is also searching for clean-ups being held in the Tampa Bay area. If you are hosting, sponsoring or know of a clean-up, please email Daisy Ruth at druth@wfla.com.

4. Become educated!

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium provides information on their website about exactly what red tide is and how it is formed. FWC provides mid-week and Friday updates on status of red tide throughout various samples. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admiration also issues updates during a harmful algal bloom forecast.

Mote Marine, along with FWC, administers the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development initiative, signed into effect in 2019 by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The partnership coordinates an effort among researchers “to develop prevention, control and mitigation technologies and approaches that will decrease the impacts of Florida red tide on the environment, economy and quality of life in Florida.”