The City of Sanibel continues to collect and remove dead sea life from the beaches. So far, between Saturday, July 28th through Wednesday, August 8th. The City of Sanibel has collected & removed 535,095 pounds (267 tons) of dead sea life.
This measurement does include the dead 21-foot whale shark that came ashore on July 22nd, the 72 Goliath Groupers and the 14 Tarpons washed ashore.
The amount does not include the amount any of the sea life collected from the canals. Some reports indicate the dead sea life deposits are lighter on the Gulf-side. The fish kill clean-ups have been averaging 250 to 300 bags of dead fish from the east end canals but on Wednesday the total was 80 bags.
Currently, the City of Sanibel continues to work two shifts of beach clean-up crews per day in an effort to catch deposits after the second tide of the day.
Governor Rick Scott announced that the State is making available an additional $400,000 to Lee County to Clean Local Waterways. Click here for the announcement.
RELATED:
66+ tons of fish removed from Sarasota County beaches
9 bottlenose dolphins found dead in Sarasota County in 36-hours
PHOTOS: Fish kills collected and seen around Southwest Florida
Lee County Tourism Council endorsed an "open-ended" amount be allocated from the bed tax reserves to assist with the clean-up costs. Additionally, the Tourist Developments Council (TDC) endorsed allocation of an additional $1 million in bed tax reserves for a marketing campaign once the beaches are clear of dead fish. The "bed tax" is a 5 percent county tax collected by the county on short-term rentals including hotels, motels, condominiums & campsites. Councilwoman Holly Smith represents the City of Sanibel on the TDC.
For additional shift information, how you can help and sea life collection amounts visit the City of Sanibel website.
What to do if you see dead sea life?
If you encounter any dead sea life washed ashore on private property that is too large to be removed by hand, please email address and location information to: j.zimomra@mysanibel.com, and attach a photo if possible.
