Fish Kills

The fish kill that occurred in Biscayne Bay during August 2020 resulted from a combination of multiple physical and environmental factors, including extremely low tides, low wind velocities, poor circulation in the northern basin, high ambient air/water temperatures, and large stormwater discharges from the drainage canal system due to a significant rain event in late May 2019. This portion of the Bay is vulnerable to nutrient pollution from the watershed and has experienced significant seagrass loss over the past 8 to 10 years.

Miami-Dade County is ready to respond to a fish kill or algae bloom event. The Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources – Division of Environmental Resources Management (RER-DERM) will serve as the lead agency in the event of an environmental crisis, such as a fish kill or algae bloom event.

The County has secured the services of certified canal cleaning contractors who remain ready to remove and properly dispose of the fish biomass from the affected areas. The biomass must be removed as soon as possible as decomposition can exacerbate the existing poor water quality conditions and release additional nutrients and bacteria into Biscayne Bay. Biomass consolidation and removal locations will be identified and coordinated with affected coastal municipalities.

The public is encouraged to keep a watchful eye on Biscayne Bay and report any signs of fish or wildlife in distress, algae blooms and water turbidity.

To report fish kill or algae bloom:
- Visit the environmental complaints webpage and fill out the online form
- Email baywatch@miamidade.gov
- Or call 305-372-6955
Report environmental complaints 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Fish (50 or more) or aquatic wildlife struggling to breathe near the shoreline
- What looks like blue or green paint spilled into the water
- Thick puffy blue or green foams on the surface of the water
- What looks like swirling colors beneath the surface of the water
Very high air/water temperatures, heavy rain events resulting in discharges of large amounts of stormwater and canal discharges rich in nutrient pollution and other contaminants from fertilizers, fuels, oils, plastic, trash. This combination of factors fuels the growth of algae and bacteria causing low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels. DO is the amount of oxygen available for all life in the water for both plants and animals.
- Only use fertilizers in accordance with the County’s new Fertilizer Ordinance, and limit use pesticides, particularly during our rainy season
- Reduce your use of plastic and polystyrene
- Pick up trash and dog waste from the ground
The County’s goal is to reduce nutrient pollution levels in the Bay and promote seagrass recovery over the long term. Implementation of the Biscayne Bay Task Force recommendations is the vehicle through which these goals will be accomplished:
- Septic-to-sewer conversion in low-lying areas
- Expedite replacement of aging and vulnerable sewer pipes
- Improve stormwater water quality with innovation and increase maintenance
- Restoration of habitat – mangroves, seagrass, sponges and coral reefs
- Educational campaigns – clean-up activities, increase civic responsibility

REPORT A FISH KILL

SUBMIT REPORT

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Interest Categories

Online Services

News & Social Media

Create a new miamidade.gov account

Elected Officials

County Agencies

Transparency & Open Data

Employee Information

My Employee Portal

Fish Kills

How to report a fish kill or algae bloom

What should you look out for?

What causes a fish kill?

What are the main nutrients that cause algae blooms and contribute to low DO and fish kills?

What can you do to help prevent fish kills?

What is the County's long-term approach?

REPORT A FISH KILL

Regulatory and Economic Resources