PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A team of contractors worked diligently throughout the day Thursday to pull dead fish from the intracoastal and clear the remnants of red tide from a number of beaches across Pinellas County. 

Experts say the worst of this bloom stretches from the Redington Beach area north to Clearwater Pass. There’s also a patch of red tide just west of Honeymoon Island. 

Kate Hubbard, a research scientist for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says based on current models she expects this current bloom to stick around for at least the next few days. 

“The next three days, we’re expecting cells to move north along the coast and we don’t really expect cells to move out of the estuary, so they’re probably going to stay in Tampa Bay," Hubbard said.

According to Hubbard, that doesn’t mean dead fish will be on every beach. This bloom is patchy and moving north, while wind direction also plays a big role in how strong the effects are on shore. 

Jay Gunter with DRC Emergency Services was contracted to help clear fish from canals and waterways. He says the fish he pulled from the intracoastal Thursday looked as if they were victim to a recent fish kill. 

“We’re seeing more clear-eyed fresh fish today, which means its a little fresher kill, so we wanna get those up as soon as possible,” he said. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis made a stop in St. Petersburg on Thursday morning for a round table discussion regarding red tide and spoke with researchers from both FWC and the University of South Florida.

“In terms of what we’re seeing this is not 2018,” he said, referencing that season's red tide bloom.