Fish kill in Seabrook ruins bride-to-be's wedding plans

Erica Simon Image
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Dead fish in Searbook ruin bride to be wedding plans
A couple is rushing to find another wedding venue just days before they say "I do" after thousands of dead fish ruined their plans.

SEABROOK, Texas (KTRK) -- Kristi Ling and her fiancé are rushing to find another wedding venue after thousands of dead fish ruined their plans.

"Our wedding is in 48 hours at the house about 50 yards from all these dead fish," Ling explained.

Ling planned on marrying the love of her life at their Seabrook home Friday, but this morning that all changed. She opened the patio door and saw piles of fish on the Galveston Bay shoreline.

"All of a sudden, I see this long streak of shiny. I wasn't quite sure what it was," Kevin Debes said.

That long streak was the fish coming into the Bay. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, several things like heat, lack of rain or algae bloom may have created low dissolved oxygen in the water. If there isn't enough oxygen, the fish can't "breathe" and die.

Debes says the smell is unbearable. "I imagine tomorrow is going to be 100 percent worse."

The last time Seabrook saw a fish kill was 2014. The city sent out a notice today, discouraging fishing in areas where fish carcasses have accumulated - due to health concerns.

Right now, Ling is only focused on finding a new venue so her big day can still go on.

"As a bride, you plan for everything that could possibly go wrong, except for this. Millions of dead fish crashing your wedding. The important thing is, we stay positive and focus on getting married and being happy together," she said with a smile.

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