Officials say a combination of extreme heat and days of rain may have led to a fish kill in Biscayne Bay.
The fish kill was reported on the east side of Biscayne Bay closest to the North Beach area, Miami Beach officials said Monday.
Early evidence showed the cause was a combination of extreme heat and numerous days of rain, which reduces oxygen levels in waterways, officials said.
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Miami Beach is working with the Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management to determine the exact cause and remedy.
"This incident is another reminder that the health of our beloved Bay is in jeopardy, which is why Miami-Dade County is committed to taking all possible action to turn around the crisis facing our waters," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement. "We are working to aggressively accelerate investments in replacing or repairing critical water infrastructure and septic to sewer conversion."
Levine Cava said Tuesday that two DERM teams were out on boats along with a team from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves to conduct water quality surveys in the affected basins.
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Levine Cava said earlier this year, the county began implementing a ban on fertilizer use during the rainy season, from May 15 to Oct. 31, when nutrients are more likely to be carried in water flowing off the urban landscape.
