Along its entire 156-mile length, there has been an increasing number of people protesting about the current dreadful condition of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) system. Their concerns are centered around the re-emergence of green algae throughout the watershed. There’s trillions and trillions of them! And unfortunately, man doesn’t make a hook small enough to catch them!
The slow, but steady, decline of our nation’s greatest estuary is a complex and difficult subject to fully understand or embrace. For decades, the IRL system has been impacted by a multitude of negative environmental stressors; now, with a strengthening increase in the occurrence of harmful algal blooms we are witnessing a more rapid demise of this cherished waterway.
Of course, I’m not a scientist or trained professional; I’m only telling you what my perception is. What are my credentials, other than I’m a writer and a fishing guide of sorts? With the help of many friends and family members, my wife Karen and I founded Coastal Angler Magazine in 1996. At the time, it was a free Mom & Pop publication with a strong focus on fishing, boating and the health and conservation of the IRL system. The magazine still thrives today, but its reach has expanded nationally, as well.
What I’ve learned about the IRL system has come from thousands of people from hundreds of walks of life. Jersey Bill taught me about crabbing the Lagoons, while Satellite Beach Bait & Tackle Shop owner Ed Havrila schooled me on the finer points of shrimping. Ranger Ed Perry filled my head with sea beans and flounder.
Without Dr. Grant Gilmore’s input I’d be missing a few important pieces about how the entire system flows and grows. My buddy, Dr. Ken Lindeman, has mentored me in the relationships between the ocean, the beaches, the barrier islands and the IRL system. And Dr. Leesa Souto, the Marine Resources Council’s Executive Director, has convinced me we need an “annual assessment of the lagoon’s health” to help us follow the progress of the system’s health. This grading system will also help us gauge the success of the many restoration projects needed to correct its demise in the future. Continue reading – http://rodneysmithmedia.com/brown-tide-killing-our-indian-river-lagoon-2/