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Spike in marine animal deaths alarms Brevard County beachgoers

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Published  March 10, 2025 9:00pm EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

Spike in marine animal deaths alarms beachgoers

Brevard County beaches are seeing a sharp rise in marine animal deaths, with 141 stranded turtles this year alone.

The Brief

    • Brevard County beaches are seeing a sharp rise in marine animal deaths, with 141 stranded turtles this year alone.
    • Officials are divided on the cause, with some blaming cold temperatures and others pointing to beach renourishment projects.
    • Conservationists and residents continue to document the die-off as investigations remain ongoing.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - FOX 35 is investigating a spike in wildlife death on Brevard County beaches. Sea creatures are washing ashore in droves. Some are dead. Some are sick, and beachgoers are worried.

'No one really knows what's going on'

What we know:

Brevard County beaches are seeing an alarming spike in marine animal strandings, with sea turtles, stingrays, and fish washing ashore — some dead, others sick. 

The Sea Turtle Preservation Society (STPS) has recorded 141 stranded turtles so far this year, far exceeding the five-year average of 36.2.

Officials and residents remain concerned about the cause of the die-off, with some pointing to ongoing beach renourishment projects and others citing colder temperatures. However, no definitive cause has been identified.

What we don't know:

Authorities have yet to determine what is behind the increase in marine deaths. While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attributes the rise to colder air and water temperatures, the STPS argues that the condition of the turtles suggests other factors are at play.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has documented 26 fish kill reports in Brevard County but has not provided details on a potential cause. It remains unclear whether the dredging project, environmental pollutants, or another unknown factor is responsible for the surge in wildlife deaths.

The backstory:

Residents and conservationists began noticing a significant increase in dead and sick marine animals washing up on Brevard County beaches in recent months. Concerned beachgoers, such as Jeanne Abright and Barbara Scerbo, have been documenting the trend and suspect the beach renourishment project may be linked.

The STPS and other organizations have been monitoring the situation closely, emphasizing that the affected turtles exhibit unusual conditions not typically associated with cold-stunning, a common issue in colder months.

What they're saying:

Some residents fear the dredging work may be harming marine life.

"It wasn’t like this before this dredging started," said Jeanne Abright, who has been observing the increase in dead animals while walking the beach.

Others simply express sadness over the environmental impact.

"This is such an environmentally beautiful area and so harming any of the creatures is just sad," said Barbara Scerbo.

STPS officials challenge the explanation that cold temperatures alone are to blame.

"Typically, cold stunning, they don't look that bad," said Cyndi Stinson of the STPS. "They're just lethargic, and ours have all the algae and the biota, which isn’t typical of cold stun."

With no clear answers, uncertainty looms.

"No one really knows what's going on," Stinson added.

"I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t know," echoed Abright.

What you can do:

As investigations continue, officials encourage the public to report sightings of stranded or dead sea turtles to the STPS at (321) 206-0646. Fish kills can be reported to the FWC at 1-800-636-0511.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the U.S. Army Corps on Engineers, the Sea Turtle Preservation Society, and beachgoers, Barbara Scerbo and Jeanne Abright.

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