Goodbye, red tide!

The Amelia Island red tide health advisory has ended.

Emergency Management Coordinator Scott West issued a press release today stating that levels of the organism Karenia brevis, which is responsible for red tide, has "returned to baseline levels."

Samples collected on Wednesday showed that the organism was at a "present" level in two samples collected. However, samples collected from three sites on Amelia Island on the same day showed cell counts of zero for the organism. 

West wrote in the press release that there are five levels of detection, which are high, medium, low, very low, and present. The "present" level "does not have any associated health effects and is considered to be a normal beach condition, not an indication of Red Tide," West wrote.

For an update on the red tide conditions throughout Florida, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute at (866) 300-9399. If you live outside of the state, call (727) 552-2448. To get information on the health effects of red tide, call the Aquatic Toxins Hotline at (888) 232-8635. 

Visit www.myfloridaEH.com for additional information. Nassau County Emergency Management also has updates on the beach conditions at http://www.nassaufl-em.com or by calling (904) 548-4980.