Resources on the Web
If you are interested in gathering some more information on this subject, here are some links to more information:
http://interactive.sun-sentinel.com/lake-okeechobee-flooding/
http://www.newsherald.com/article/20160308/OPINION/160309296
onto reefs and marine environments raising bacteria levels and threatening the delicate balance for millions of aquatic species, including tarpon.
The mouth of the Caloosahatchee River is less than twenty miles from world famous Boca Grande Pass. Between the Pass and the river are some of the most heavily utilized marine environments for migrating tarpon in the Gulf of Mexico. Recent satellite tagging data has shown that large, spawning size female tarpon frequently travel miles up the rivers of southwest Florida during their spring migrations. Any disruption in these environments will disrupt their behavior and could alter their pre-spawn activities. Even more concerning, the lack of oxygen in these estuaries due to nutrient, algae rich lake water can cause a crash in the population of tarpon prey. Tarpon desperately need these food sources to provide nutrition and a caloric rich diet prior to swimming far offshore to spawn. A starving tarpon is not a healthy tarpon and certainly would not be in the best condition to spawn.
If anybody wants to know the adverse effects of changes in water quality on tarpon populations, they need not look any farther than Port Aransas, Texas. There is little doubt the changes in water management in Texas which followed World War II negatively impacted the tarpon populations and migrations of tarpon along the Texas coast. If a long term solution to Lake Okeechobee’s water problems are not found quickly, the possibility of a significant disruption in southwest Florida’s tarpon population and movements is real.
The actual impact of this discharge may be observed this tarpon season along the Florida Gulf coast. It will be interested to hear reports from guides and anglers about their observations concerning numbers of tarpon and the length of time tarpon stay in the area.
The recreational fishing industry is essential to economic health of many communities on both sides of Florida. For the west coast of Florida, tarpon are certainly king in many areas. While the Corps may be acting to protect certain economic farming interests, the cost to other essential economic interests, including tourism may suffer.
Granted, decisions sometimes have to be made, but it is a shame when nature gets the hit. Let's hope tarpon find a way to weather this storm. Only time will tell.