Pacific Ocean algae threatening delicate intracoastal estuary

By Derek Simmonsen staff writer April 24, 2003

Port St. Lucie News

TREASURE COAST -- Grass-roots action will be an important part of any effort to fight the spread of a fast-growing algae recently discovered in the Indian River Lagoon, according to panelists at a community meeting Wednesday.

More than 50 people crowded into a conference room at the Fort Pierce Library Wednesday evening to hear a presentation from Brian Lapointe, a senior scientist at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, and to ask questions of a group of scientists, activists and others concerned about the problem.

"There's a lot we can do, a lot we can learn while defining a course of action," said Kevin Stinnette, the Indian Riverkeeper with the Treasure Coast Environmental Defense Fund. Stinnette and the St. Lucie Conservation Alliance called for the meeting to address algae concerns.

The algae in question is caulerpa brachypus, a Pacific Ocean native that was first seen in the lagoon off Jensen Beach in early March. Lapointe has studied the algae in various places around the world and during his presentation he showed still and video footage of how the algae can encroach upon coral reefs and eventually overtake them.

In Juno Beach, the algae has killed sea grasses and driven away aquatic species in search of food, which could potentially be a danger in the Indian River Lagoon. The algae has no natural enemies and if it is provided with nutrients -- such as nitrogen -- it can spread rapidly.

The nutrients could likely come from sewage, stormwater runoff and groundwater discharge, Lapointe said. In Key West, local residents voted to change the city's wastewater treatment system to prevent releasing these types of nutrients into the sea, he said.

"The fire is raging out on the reefs and the flames are licking up into the Indian River," Lapointe said.

In areas around the world where the algae has taken over, it begins to cover the sea floor, obscuring coral and looking similar to the green of a golf course in its thickness, according to a video shown during the meeting. "They have a very aggressive approach to overtaking coastal waters," Lapointe said.

Stinnette noted that there are many people in the community who would volunteer to help address the problem if they had proper training. Average citizens can also lobby the government to change a number of policies that could be beneficial, he said.

Efforts are under way to make the algae part of Florida's invasive species list. Another national petition has started to ban the sale of the algae in aquariums, as aquarium owners can unknowingly infect an area by dumping the contents into a storm drain.

Lapointe urged that whatever solution is adopted it should still protect the environment, not "throw the baby out with the bathwater."

The Harmful Algae Bloom Task Force, scheduled to hold its next meeting this summer, should take the lead in deciding how best to solve the problem, said Jeff Beal, of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Meanwhile, scientists need to determine if the algae is rooted or is just drifting into the lagoon, Beal said. The extent of the algae spread needs to be measured and samples need to be analyzed to know the full extent of the problem, he said.

Officials with Harbor Branch will next be taking a boat trip April 29 to examine the spread of the species. The Martin County Commission will discuss the topic at 3:30 p.m. on May 6. The Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program board will also meet next week in Melbourne to discuss the problem.

Educating the public about the problem is a necessary step, said Jim Egan, of the Marine Resources Council. "It's up to us to do something and take action," he said. "We need political will and the will to change what we're doing."

- derek.simmonsen@scripps.com