Summertime fish kills, the sudden destruction of large quantities of fish, occur frequently in the Sunshine State.
While fish kills can happen at any time of the year, they tend to occur mostly in Florida during the hot summer months in bodies of fresh and marine water.
The chief causes of fish kills
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, fish kills happen because of natural causes and human interactions. The reasons include dissolved oxygen levels, algae blooms, harmful agal blooms, extreme weather events, water temperatures both low and high, storms, disease, herbicides, sewage and petroleum spills.
According to the FWC fish kills occur for the following reasons:
What to do
If you see dead fish, diseased fish or fish acting strangely, call the FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511 or online at MyFWC.com/ReportFishKill.
When reporting a fish kill, diseased fish, fish with other abnormalities, or discolored water include the following information:
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Summertime is the season of fish kills in Florida. What causes them? Here’s What to know
Reporting by Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record / St. Augustine Record
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