FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: KEVIN STINNETTE -INDIAN RIVERKEEPER (772) 283-8747

Fish Kills reflect NEED FOR action TO STOP nutrient pollution

Ft. Pierce (August 26, 2004) – Local residents and county employees stood helpless as they watch baby snook writhe in the murky water and die. Those present had worked to save the dying fish, first the big snook, catching them by first hand when they had no nets and moving them to nearby water that was hopefully less toxic to the struggling fish. Soon after the nets came it became obvious that the water in the Indian River Lagoon was as toxic to the fish as the water of the mosquito impoundment.  Snook, snapper, mullet, sheepshead and other fish gathered at the point of greatest flow, struggling for oxygen as they died before their eyes.

Some residents are hardened to it. Talk in the bait and tackle shops is that it is summer and we get fish kills in the summer. Newspaper articles blame algae. Jim David, mosquito control director for St. Lucie County said, “State biologists have identified Takayama Pulchella as the organism.”

This identification is not a complete response to the fish kill.

To say the stab victim was killed by a knife is not sufficient.

The relevant facts are that we, through our actions, over-feed the harmful algae, It blooms where nutrient concentrations are greatest and it kills our fish. Surrender to these fish kills is not acceptable.

The deaths of thousands of fish in mosquito impoundments on Hutchinson Island will continue as long as strict standards for nutrient overloading are not established and enforced.

The Indian Riverkeeper calls on state, local and federal agencies to:

·        Enact strict Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL’s) for discharges into the Indian River Lagoon

·        Immediately request voluntary reductions of fertilizer use by residents

·        Establish a due date for studies on harmful algae blooms associated with this event

There is a need for immediate action on the part of our elected and appointed officials to stop the nutrient overload of our estuary.

TMDL’s are not scheduled for adoption in local waters until 2008. There are currently no standards for nutrient pollution in North America’s most diverse estuary. The inhabitants of the Indian River Lagoon watershed can not wait until 2008 to address this problem.

Based on ongoing monitoring, Indian Riverkeeper has determined that the nutrients that have fueled the present fish kill are from point source and non-point source discharges that are ongoing. The Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) is very likely the result of years of overuse of fertilizers and the lack of control as to how stormwater dumps the excess nitrogen into our waters.

The Clean Water Act called for the determination of how much discharge of these nutrients our waters can take before they are damaged (TMDL’s). Subsequent legal action has brought a timetable for the implementation of standards, TMDL’s and the protection of our waters.

The state is not required to wait until 2008 to correct the problems that kill our fish and impact our tourism.

Local governments are not precluded from taking needed action to protect our waters.

“We must not wait for more studies,” said Kevin Stinnette, Indian Riverkeeper, “We know that HAB’s are killing our fish and smothering our offshore reefs. We know they are fueled by sewage, fertilizer and stormwater runoff.  We know it will happen again. We must take action to limit nitrogen from these sources NOW!”

Indian Riverkeeper demands standards for nitrogen and phosphorus and limits of nutrients from discharges into the Indian River Lagoon. These goals must be accomplished through accelerated implementation of Citrus Best Management Practices (BMP’s) involving water detention and retention, a reduction of the use of fertilizer in residential areas and a program to ensure the safe functioning of sewage disposal systems on the Treasure Coast.