Space Coast leaders met Wednesday after sad and stunning images surfaced of a massive fish kill in Brevard County.

Local and state experts are trying to come up with a plan to clean up the Indian River Lagoon, which is littered with dead fish.

Tens of thousands of dead fish have washed up in the Indian and Banana rivers.

County leaders blame the fish kill on warm water temperatures and harmful nutrients that are producing an algae bloom.

Officials say brown tide has been persistent in the Indian and Banana rivers since the beginning of the year.

A cleanup effort will begin today and involves Brevard County government, the Brevard Sheriff's Office, the St. Johns River Water Management District, Keep Brevard Beautiful and volunteers.

"This is a public nuisance," Assistant County Manager Venetta Valdengo said. "We've received a lot of feedback from the community, so we've put together a plan to provide some relief."

Officials will target fish kills in Sykes Creek, Cocoa Beach, Windjammer Court and Grand Canal.  Dead fish will be collected by boat by St. Johns River Management District officials.

Brevard County is putting out extra dumpsters in six county-run parks stretching north to south along the lagoon, where dead fish can be deposited by anyone who collects them. The fish will be taken each day to a landfill to be buried.

Officials plan to have the dumpsters in place by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

"If you are a property owner and you know that there is fish that you can collect, we are giving and offering you a place to discard those fish," Brevard spokesperson Don Walker said.

The county stresses that people use gloves when collecting dead fish.

The dumpster locations:

  • Bicentennial Park in Cocoa Beach
  • Eau Gallie Boat Ramp, Melbourne
  • Kiwanis Island Park, Merritt Island
  • Kelly Park, Merritt Island
  • POW/MIA at Pineda Causeway

Dumpsters will be placed close to boat ramps to facilitate disposal of fish collected by boat. 

Keep Brevard Beautiful is heading up the volunteer effort to take away the massive fish kill. KBB has heard from many residents about what they call an unprecedented event.

"After they register their grief about it, or their anger, they're saying this is the worst they've ever seen," said Tony Sasso of Keep Brevard Beautiful.

People interested in helping with the cleanup effort can contact Keep Brevard Beautiful at (321) 631-0501. They are providing gloves, bags and grabbers to volunteers interested in helping with the cleanup.

To report a fish kill, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 800-636-0511.