{"id":17035,"date":"2025-02-20T08:00:05","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T13:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mote.org\/?p=17035"},"modified":"2025-12-08T15:56:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T20:56:43","slug":"mote-and-partners-conduct-first-of-its-kind-red-tide-mitigation-field-test-during-an-active-bloom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mote.org\/news\/mote-and-partners-conduct-first-of-its-kind-red-tide-mitigation-field-test-during-an-active-bloom\/","title":{"rendered":"Mote and Partners Conduct First-of-its-Kind Red Tide Mitigation Field Test During an Active Bloom"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Friday, February 14, Mote Marine Laboratory and partners successfully conducted the first-ever field test deployment of two Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative products and technologies to an active red tide bloom.<\/p>\n

The two products, Mote\u2019s CLEAR and Heartland Energy Group\u2019s<\/a> Xtreme, which both have completed rigorous laboratory testing and received regulatory approvals, were deployed by Mote scientists in collaboration with Heartland Energy Group and A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure, in select canals during an active bloom in Venice. These advancements mark a historic step forward in the fight against impacts of Red Tide blooms (Karenia brevis<\/em>) in Florida\u2019s coastal waters.<\/p>\n

Post-deployment analysis of both products demonstrated significant reductions of K. brevis<\/em> cells, as expected based on years of successful large-scale multi-species mesocosm laboratory testing.<\/p>\n

“Today is an important moment in the ongoing advancement of the Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote Marine Laboratory President & CEO. “This is the first time these products and technologies have been deployed during an active Florida red tide bloom. We are transitioning from controlled laboratory studies and field testing of real-world red tide bloom applications to the next critical phase of this initiative, which focuses on engineering large-scale deployment technologies required to safely and effectively mitigate the impacts of harmful algal blooms in our coastal waters.”<\/p>\n

Mote deploys red tide mitigation technologies to current Florida red tide bloom\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recent\u00a0sampling efforts<\/a>\u00a0made by a network of state agencies, Mote scientists, and academic entities, as well as federal partners, have detected medium to high concentrations of the Florida red tide organism Karenia brevis<\/em> off the coast of Florida.<\/p>\n

In response, Mote led a team of scientists and partners who deployed CLEAR and Xtreme into select canals in Venice, FL. These scientifically engineered solutions, previously validated in laboratory and mesocosm studies, were strategically dispersed via a specialized A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure vessel.<\/p>\n

CLEAR, a natural biocide designed to target K. brevis, was applied through a boat-dispersed liquid treatment targeting the mid-depth within the water column. Xtreme, another liquid treatment solution, was applied using the same specialized sprayer system from a boat, optimizing its distribution for maximum efficacy.<\/p>\n