2020? Awful. But at least Florida hasnât had a major Red Tide What do we have to thank? Ocean currents and ... maybe hurricanes? Â Â A shrimp boat contracted by Pinellas County in September 2018 collected dead fish amid Red Tide off Madeira Beach. [ LUIS SANTANA | Tampa Bay Times ] Well, mostly. The state made it through late summer and most of fall before scientists in the last couple of weeks started tracking a bloom off the southwest shore. As of Dec. 10, a patchy blotch of Red Tide was sitting off Sanibel Island. It has not produced widespread fish kills but has led to reports of people experiencing respiratory irritation in Collier County, though nothing like the crippling Red Tide of 2018.