MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Dozens of dead fish have washed up along Marco Island's popular Tigertail Lagoon due to cold weather, prompting warnings from local police.
WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace shows us the shoreline:
The Marco Island Police Department posted photos on Facebook showing the fish kill, which water scientists attribute to rapidly dropping water temperatures caused by recent cold weather fronts.
"We're seeing fish washing ashore or floating belly up because the temperature went well below their tolerance level," said Serge Thomas, a water professor from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Visitors from Kentucky, who have been coming to the area for five years, expressed shock at the scene.
"We've been coming for 5 years and have never seen anything like this," Andrea Ziegler said.
The FOX 4 weather team says that strong, persistent winds backing recent fronts have pushed water away from the coastline. Thomas explained that with less water present, temperatures drop more quickly in the shallow areas.
"In shallow water, the water gets cooler easier than if you have a large mass of water," Thomas said.
The water scientist warned that wildlife recovery could take years once the cold snap ends. However, he noted one positive aspect of the fish kill.
"Some exotic fish like tilapia in the canal are dying as well, so that's good," Thomas said.
With more cold weather coming, Thomas anticipates the fish kill count will continue to rise in the coming days.
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