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Brevard County fish kill alarms Treasure Coast

Posted at 4:34 PM, Apr 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-12 17:57:13-04

Fish kills in Brevard County are getting the attention of people on the Treasure Coast.

The last time this happened was 2016, the year of the algae crisis.

Lou Dessart in Vero Beach dealt with a sewage spill along Bethel Creek, now she's worried about the pictures and video surfacing of a fish kill in Brevard County.

"Worried about it," said Dessart. "If you own property it affects you."

Scientists say the fish kills are not tied to Lake Okeechobee releases, but sewage and septic tank issues.

However, there is a concern this is only the beginning.

"I wouldn't be surprised with a brown bloom up north if we had a microcystis bloom in Stuart," said Dr. Grant Gilmore with Estuarine, Coastal, and Ocean Science.

He says Lake Okeechobee discharges would be the tipping point.