Sea Grass is Dying

Sea grass is a dying ocean organism. Today there is an organization that is trying to fix the decline in the Pensacola area.

Shelley Alexander from the Northwest Florida Aquatic Preserve Office came to speak about the decline of sea grass and its importance on March 17.

“It takes 20 or more years for sea grass to grow back,” Alexander said.

The decline of sea grass has progressively been getting worse since the ‘50s. This was because of the large industrial point sources.

The Northwest Florida Aquatic Preserve Office has been taking action towards the decline and has enforced a new law into the Florida statutes.

“All those years, from 1950 to 2010, we just now got regulations,” Alexander said.

There are signs located around the Gulfbreeze peninsula stating, “destruction of sea grass in Aquatic Preserves is a violation of Florida law (section 253.04(4a)F.S.) and carries a penalty of up to $1,000.”

The main causes of the decline in sea grass is overfishing and the boats going through lower water level areas and pulling at the sea grass.

“Pensacola Bay has lost all of its sea grass,” Alexander said. “The Gulfbreeze peninsula is where all of the sea grass is now in salt water.”

Some people may be thinking, what is the importance of sea grass. Sea grass acts as a habitat for many smaller fish.

“Sea grass habitat is very important for shellfish,” Alexander said. "Major oyster harvesting going on in the turn of the century also led in the decline.”

Sea grasses can be destroyed by boats just “plowing” out quickly through lower water level areas.

“Instead of plowing out of there real fast, tilt your engine up,” Alexander said.

She said there are many things that regular people can do besides being careful with their boats.

“When they’re snorkeling, people think sea grass is boring or not as cool as coral, we don’t have coral reefs but we have sea grass,” Alexander said. “The best thing you can do is pass this information along.”

NFAPO is working with the Emerald Coastkeeper group replanting sea grasses and enforcing the laws in the preserve areas.

March 27 is Seagrass Awareness day. For more information on sea grass issues visit NFAPO’s web site at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/yellow.