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Bathers return to Cocoa Beach after fish kill, red tide bloom

COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Bathers returned to Cocoa Beach days after a red tide bloom and massive fish kill caused the beach to become littered with dead fish.

In 36 hours, volunteers in Brevard County have removed thousands of dead fish that washed ashore on Cocoa Beach after a red tide bloom.

The dead fish began littering Cocoa Beach on Friday morning.

“Based on what I saw yesterday, I was concerned this was going to be a many-day project,” said Jim McKnight, Cocoa Beach city manager.

Seventy volunteers showed up Saturday morning to help the group Keep Brevard Beautiful clear more dead fish from the Cocoa Beach sand.

“I decided to come out this morning and see if there was a need, and there clearly still is,” said Chrystal Holoway, a volunteer.

Their work was aided by currents which pulled thousands of fish back into the water overnight.

Volunteers stuffing bags all day Friday with fish helped clean up the beach.

“They did a wonderful job,” said Shane James, a fisherman.

With clean beaches, James has begun fishing again.

A few surfers also searched for waves to catch, and some families swam, hopeful the red tide effects left with the fish it killed.