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St. Petersburg Takes Down Warning Signs around Coffee Pot Bayou

Pelican | Bird | Sea Bird

Testing continues on dead pelicans found in waterways along the St. Pete coastline.

ST. PETERSBURG – Crews from St. Petersburg’s public works department have removed warning sign from around Coffee Pot Bayou because water quality tests have come back within the normal range.

St. Petersburg erected the signs while water samples were collected and tested in the wake of the discovery of sick and dead brown pelicans in the Riviera Bay and Coffee Pot Bayou areas.

“The water quality is not in question in Coffee Pot Bayou,” said John Palenchar, interim water resources director. “And we are working with all concerned to try and find out what made the birds sick.”

A total of 17 pelicans have been sent to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission’s wildlife lab in Gainesville for necropsy. Samples taken during necropsy will be sent to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study in Georgia for further testing. Additional samples will be sent to FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg to be tested for algal toxins.

Busch Gardens is sending blood, fecal, and tissue samples to the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute to be tested for algal toxins. Toxin analysis to determine whether red tide is the culprit are expected to be available two to three days after samples are received. Results from samples submitted to SCWDS will take longer, possibly weeks.

Biological testing experts from Arcadis, a consultant hired by the city, are taking further samples for their independent testing.

“There is no pre-conceived notion as to what may be going on out here,” said Scott Lehman, Arcadis senior asset consultant. “Our intent is to be that third party review to see if we find anything independent of what the city is finding.”

So far, Palenchar says the city has found that the water quality is “well within the parameters for recreational usage.”

The test results from the independent consultant Arcadis will likely be ready by early next week.

For information about St. Peterburg’s water quality department, go to stpete.org.

St. Petersburg | Dead Pelicans | Environment | Water Quality | TB Reporter

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