MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. -- A Merritt Island man is concerned about his canal leading to the Banana River after fish, a baby manatee and other wildlife have been washing up dead over the past few days.
- Fish, baby manatee, other wildlife washing up dead
- Algae blooms killing fish, other wildlife
- Brevard going through 10-year lagoon restoration
"Something's got to be done," said Giorgio Hagal while he was on the seawall of his South Tropical Trail canal.
For some 25 years, Hagal's family has lived on 2 1/2 acres along a canal leading to the Banana River.
That is nearly all his life for the 26 year old. He and his family used to swim and kayak in the water all the time.
But of late, it is not allowed. Neither is fishing, per Brevard County.
"We don't have that anymore," Hagal told Spectrum News. "And it reeks half the time."
The canal is indicative of what the struggling Indian River Lagoon is going through.
Hagal took pictures late last week, which included a dead baby manatee that washed up. Several dead horseshoe crabs have also floated in the water.
He says many of his mangroves on the back part of his property are now dead.
When Spectrum News went to the property on Monday, the station saw a large sheen of oil floating on top of the canal water.
"I'm tired of this being destroyed," he complained.
Hagal understands it has taken decades of pollution for the lagoon to get to this state. Algae blooms are common, killing fish and other wildlife.
The half-cent tax referendum passed a couple years is devoted to cleaning up the water through dredging.
But Hagal says it is not happening fast enough.
"It's in bad shape, and that's why I don't know if they can do something about it," he said, worried.
Brevard County is in the midst of 60 new lagoon related projects this year -- including muck removal, storm-water treatment, oyster restoration, and public outreach about fertilizer reduction and septic system maintenance.
The projects are all part of the 10-year lagoon restoration plan that began in 2017.