More dead fish wash up in Brevard County despite lower red tide levels

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Thousands of dead fish washed up in Melbourne Beach Wednesday due to the ongoing red tide on the Space Coast, however, recent water samples taken from Brevard County beaches show the toxic algae is lessening, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

News 6 reporter James Sparvero was on the beach near Spessard Holland Park in Melbourne Beach Wednesday morning where a large fish kill was reported. Thousands of fish, including mullet and catfish washed up from Satellite Beach to Melbourne Beach.

Keep Brevard Beautiful is looking for volunteers to help clean up the scores of dead fish on the shore. Cleanups will be held at 2545 Highway A1A in Melbourne Beach, 4005 Highway A1A
in Melbourne Beach and 2301 N. Highway A1A in Melbourne at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

Despite the large fish kill, Florida wildlife officials say the levels of red tide are dropping.

News 6 partner Florida Today reports that ocean water samples taken Monday at Cocoa Beach Pier and Cherie Down Park showed no red tide present of less than 1,000 algae cells per liter — considered background levels. Last week, that area measured at high concentrations of red tide.

Samples drawn Monday at Pelican Beach Park in Satellite Beach measured at medium levels, between 100,000 and 1 million cells per liter, a drop from last week, when it measured higher than 1 million cells per liter there.

Spessard Holland Park, Coconut Point Park and Juan Ponce de Leon Landing in southern Brevard County also measured at medium levels of red tide Monday, according to Florida Today.

A week after red tide was confirmed in Brevard County, commissioners voted to spend an additional quarter-million tourism tax dollars on the Indian River Lagoon.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says like the ocean, red tide is in the lagoon, just south of Brevard and possibly north of the county, too. In September, the commission voted to put $1 million toward the lagoon from the 5 percent tourism tax.