Algae poses threat, experts say
By Libby Wells,
FORT PIERCE -- Red tide invaded
the
Caulerpa brachypus, a species of
enemy algae, blankets offshore reefs in
"I feel a little bit guilty
because this problem has existed for years for our neighbors to the
south," Kevin Stinnette, executive director of Indian Riverkeeper, told a
roomful of people who met Wednesday night at the Fort Pierce branch of the St.
Lucie County Library to talk about the problem. "And now it's here and
we're kinda late."
Brachypus doesn't appear to have a
firm foothold in local waters, but experts agreed that it will become a serious
threat to native marine life if it's ignored.
"There's a fire raging out on
the reefs of
Lapointe gave an hourlong primer
on brachypus and other caulerpa species that included startling video footage
taken off the
"Sewage kills coral reefs,
but there's still some denial about that in
Stinnette, who moderated the
meeting, said the long-term solution was getting government and politicians
interested and finding money to study the problem.
Jeff Beal, of the
"We should plug into our
existing programs," he said.
Troy Rice, of the St. John's River
Water Management District, said the agency would be doing some aerial
photography of the St. Lucie Inlet, which might help spot problem areas.
Stinnette suggested one short-term
way to attack the algae is simply dive down and get it.
"There are places where
people do hand removal," he said.