Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) spokesperson Bradley Johnson confirmed a large fish kill incident on Buccaneer Lagoon in Fort Myers Beach today as previously announced by the town. The FWC is working to have water samples collected to determine the cause.
“FWC’s fish kill hotline staff have received calls regarding this fish kill event. We are working to have water samples collected and sent to our lab at FWRI for analysis,” Johnson said. “The Town of Fort Myers Beach are cleaning up the dead fish. At this time, the cause of the event has not been identified. The best thing members of the public can do is report fish kills to the FWC fish kill hotline at 1-800-636-0511 or online at MyFWC.com/reportfishkill.”
Earlier in the afternoon, town issued an announcement about the unusually high amount of fish kills reported in the lagoon on the town’s south side.
“We have notified the appropriate environmental authorities and have begun working with experts to assess the situation, submit samples, and determine the cause,” the town’s announcement on Facebook stated.
“The health and safety of our community and its natural environment are our top priorities,” the town’s statement said. “Out of an abundance of caution, we ask that residents avoid contact with the lagoon until further notice. The town will be conducting a fish cleanup of the lagoon. Further cleanup is pending sample test results. We are committed to keeping you informed and will share updates as soon as more information becomes available. If you have any questions or observations to share, please contact us at abigail.eberhart@fmbgov.com.”
To reach Nathan Mayberg, please email nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com