Brevard County residents report dozens of fish kills in Indian River Lagoon

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — In the last several days, Brevard County residents have reported dozens of fish kills in the Indian River Lagoon.

Officials said a lingering algae bloom may be to blame as it robs the lagoon of dissolved oxygen. The Marine Resources Council is one of the groups keeping a close eye on the  health of the lagoon.

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Executive Director Dr. Leesa Souto said the recent cold snap might actually help improve conditions.

The cold water holds more dissolved oxygen than warm water which is exactly what some areas of the lagoon need right now.

“Hopefully the algae will die more sporadically instead of all at once and there will be pockets where there is dissolved oxygen in the water and fish will have a refuge were they can still go and breathe,” Souto said.

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But she said that won’t change a legacy of nutrient pollution that feeds blooms. And even with a half-cent sales tax generating millions of dollars for restoration efforts like infrastructure improvements for failing waste water lines and muck removal, reversing the damage will be a slow process.

The Marine Resources Council will unveil this year’s Indian River Lagoon Report Card in a webinar. Click here for more information.