After a devastating fish kill washed up thousands of fish along the Indian River Lagoon in March, community leaders are preparing for a historic long-term cleanup effort.

  • Environmental experts: fish kill, brown tide algae bloom have subsided
  • Brevard Indian River Lagoon Coalition wants to increase public awareness
  • Cleanup is needed to reduce the risk that the algae bloom will return

Hundreds of people packed an auditorium Wednesday at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne to learn what they can do to help the Indian River Lagoon.

The crowd included two little girls, BreeAnn and KayLee, who are members of a local marine science club. 

"It's our future," said KayLee Luis, a fourth-grade student at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Palm Bay. "So, if we're going fishing, I like seeing the dolphins, and if there's no fish — there's a fish kill — then we can't see dolphins because the fish are food for the dolphins."

"Pick up all of our pet waste, use little to no fertilizer, and to make our backyards pretty, we can use all native plants," said BreeAnn Donovan, a fifth-grade student at Christa McAuliffe Elementary.

A brown tide algae bloom persisted for months in portions of the Indian and Banana rivers. Last month, shocking images were the result of a massive fish kill that claimed thousands of fish.

Dr. Duane De Freese has been working on the Indian River Lagoon since 1978. He said he has never been more worried, yet more hopeful, about the lagoon's future. 

"We have an opportunity to look at our infrastructure, look at our wastewater, look at our stormwater and not walk past this mistake," said De Freese, the executive director of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program. "We made mistakes over decades that have finally caught up with us. It's time to think about what actions take us to a vibrant, healthy, 21st century community."

Brevard Indian River Coalition members hosted the meeting. They are pushing for steady funding for long-term cleanup efforts. 

Although BreeAnn is only 11 years old, she has the foresight to believe this issue is not just about her, but also her future children.

"Maybe if everybody everywhere can help us, maybe the lagoon and all the oceans can be clean, and they can survive for many, many years," she said. "Decades."


Hundreds packed the auditorium at Florida Institute of Technology to learn what they can do to help the Indian River Lagoon. (Michael Wash, staff)