Alecia Adamson and Lad Akins capture a small lionfish from inside a protected swim area at Harry Harris Park on Thursday. Sightings of the nonnative lionfish are becoming more common in Keys waters.

A lionfish capture Thursday took only minutes, but it ranks as one of the most worrisome lionfish incidents yet in Florida Keys waters. The juvenile lionfish, measuring just under two inches long, was captured in the shallow water of an enclosed swim area at Harry Harris County Park in Tavernier.

“We don’t want people to panic, but this is a little disturbing,” said Lad Akins of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, looking at the park’s beach, crowded even on a weekday afternoon. Akins, one of the best-known experts in lionfish eradication in Florida and Caribbean waters, and REEF associate Alecia Adamson netted and bagged the lionfish near a culvert on the west side of the Harry Harris swim basin.

The swim area is completely surrounded by a stony seawall, but three large culverts allow water exchange. Grates in the culverts screen large animals out but even an adult lionfish could pass in the grate openings. “We’ve had some lionfish sightings near shore before, but nothing like this,” Akins said. “It shows the value of early detection and rapid response.”

In the 14 months since January 2009, when the first lionfish was spotted in Keys waters, there have been 119 sightings in Monroe County waters, with 71 lionfish captured. Most have been juveniles, but fish up to 9 inches have been taken locally. Lionfish are an invasive species, a Pacific Ocean fish notable for its array of feathery plumed spines. All of the spines pack a strong venom jolt for swimmers or divers who are stuck. Lionfish stings are extremely painful and can cause respiratory problems but are not usually fatal.

Lionfish are not aggressive toward swimmers or divers, but they often do not shy away from humans. It is possible to hit one by accident. “Some of the big ones are curious. They’ll come up to see what a diver is doing,” Akins said.

The species may have gained a foothold along the U.S. coast and the Caribbean when hurricanes flooded South Florida, or when private owners released them when they outgrew home tanks. Biologists worry the fast-breeding and ravenous lionfish have no natural enemies in Atlantic waters and could become a threat to native fish populations. In areas like the Bahamas, lionfish have overwhelmed reefs.

Since March 31, six lionfish sightings have been reported locally to staff with the Mote Marine Laboratory and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. “We expected this, since it’s getting warmer and more people get back into the water,” sanctuary spokeswoman Karrie Carnes said.

A tropical-fish collector spotted one this week at a piling near the Niles Channel Bridge in the Lower Keys. Other recent sightings have come from the Bibb shipwreck in about 130 feet of water off Key Largo, and the Aquarius underwater marine laboratory site at Conch Reef off Islamorada. Staff with the state Fish and Wildlife Research Institute found a lionfish inside an experimental lobster trap in the Gulf of Mexico north of the Seven Mile Bridge.

An Ocala couple, Darby and Tammy Dugan, recognized the lionfish at Harry Harris Park on Wednesday while taking pictures of sea life. “They told the staff at Ocean Divers about it, and Ocean Divers knew to call it in,” Akins said. “The fish was exactly where the Dugans said they saw it.” The Keys sanctuary held a September training session on lionfish capture, and issued 100 permits to dive-operation staff to use nets or slurp guns to take lionfish they see inside Sanctuary Preservation Areas, where all harvest of fish usually is banned.

“Our goal is to control lionfish, especially in areas like the SPAs,” Carnes said. “It’s not really feasible to say we can eradicate them, given the ocean currents and increasing numbers of lionfish.” Another training session for lionfish removal is being planned for later this year.

Meanwhile, staff at the REEF headquarters in Key Largo is working with federal marine biologists to prepare a lionfish cookbook, in hopes of raising awareness of the lionfish as a food fish. Divers and snorkelers who sight a lionfish should call local reporting hotlines: (305) 852-0030 or (305) 395-8730.

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FWC proposed draft rule amendments Thursday to provide more protection for bonefish, a premier saltwater game fish in Florida.”Bonefish are a tremendous Florida resource,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto.  “These proposed rules will strengthen our management approach to protect and preserve bonefish so that anglers can continue to enjoy fishing for this great Florida game fish.”The proposed rules would include all species of bonefish in the FWCs bonefish management rules to help ensure that all bonefish in Florida waters are protected, extend FWC bonefish regulations into adjacent federal waters to aid enforcement and enhance bonefish protection, and require that bonefish be landed in whole condition to help officers in the field identify bonefish and aid in enforcement of bag and size limits.

Since 1988, it has been illegal to commercially harvest and sell bonefish in Florida, and a daily recreational bag limit of one bonefish 18 inches or greater in fork length applies.However, there is a temporary harvest and possession prohibition on bonefish in Florida until April 1 as a precaution, because of possible impacts to fish populations that may have occurred from the recent prolonged cold weather in Florida. Anglers may still catch and release bonefish during the temporary closure, and the FWC encourages everyone to handle and release them carefully to help ensure their survival upon release.A final public hearing on these proposed bonefish rule amendments will take place during the FWCs April meeting in the Tallahassee area.

via FWC News – FWC proposes more protection for bonefish.

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Park gates will reopen after hours at 7 p.m. and remain open as long as there are seats in the auditorium, which is wheelchair accessible. Seating is limited, so be on time; bring a seat cushion for added comfort. The program is sponsored by Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park. For more information, call Elena Muratori at 305-451-1202.

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Students dug through algae to find brittle stars, worms, sea cucumbers, crabs and even shrimp. Staff assisted as students practiced snorkeling in the swim area before going out on the boats in the afternoon.

An afternoon snorkeling close to the mangroves gave the fifth graders a closeup look at lobster, moon jellyfish, different types of coral and sponges, snapper, and sea grasses.

Students learned how pollution causes harm to the near shore environment, and why certain sponges cause rashes. They even got a chance to practice some science, learning about the structure of sponges.

Sea Camp donated the trip for 88 Switlik students, teachers, and chaperons.

Seacamp is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that operates on the cooperative effort of parents, scientists, businessmen, camp leaders and others dedicated to the education of youth in marine science.

Located at Newfound Harbor on Big Pine Key, Sea Camp includes a science lab, recreation hall, dining hall, arts and crafts building, four dormitories and staff housing, along with other services including an infirmary.

Anyone interested in Sea Camp's mission, or working as a volunteer is invited to join the Seacamp Association, located at 1300 Big Pine Ave., Big Pine Key. For more information, call 872-2331.

via Sea Camp kids learn nature’s lessons.

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KEY LARGO — A resurgent Florida Keys Wild Bird Center has hired a hospital coordinator to care for injured and sick birds and found a new location for its medical facility.

“It’s clear sailing from here,” said Bob Gintel, the new chairman of the center’s board of directors.

The turnaround comes just two months after the near closure of the facility due to funding shortfalls. But local media publicity, an infusion of donations and a reorganization of the board has kept the center afloat.

“People on the board stepped up to the plate and we are using the money we collected,” Gintel said. “There was an outpouring of money and we were able to pay off all of the vendors.”

The Ocean Reef Foundation and two other Ocean Reef Club members donated $22,000, an anonymous Islamorada resident donated $25,000 and Gintel himself ponied up $10,000 to get the non-profit rescue center back on an even keel.

In response to licensing and federal flood-plain concerns, the center has signed a one-year lease to use a vacant veterinary clinic at mile marker 94 as the center’s hospital and office. The new facility opened Monday.

However, the gift shop, wild bird educational exhibit and the daily 3:30 p.m. feeding will remain at mile marker 93.6, bayside.

Virginia Bowen, formerly of the now-defunct Folke Peterson Wildlife Center in Broward County, has been hired as the wildlife care manager. Vered Nosrad, past director of that same Broward facility, is the new director of the hospital.

“They bring a licence with them and they are highly regarded by the regulators,” Gintel said. “We’re not going to have all the flaunting of the laws as they did in the past.” [Interesting]

Hospital assistant Staci Dillis will continue to help with surgeries and rehabilitation.

sgibbs@keysnews.com

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Keys’ locals formed the 1,500- person Conch Coalition to oppose the sanctuary. They engaged in letter writing campaigns, sent hundreds of coconuts with anti-sanctuary messages painted on them to representatives in Washington, and held public speeches and demonstrations. Activists even hung NOAA’s two main sanctuary managers in effigy. Through the efforts of anti-sanctuary groups (Conch Coalition, Monroe County Commercial Fishermen’s Association, and other fisher groups) and individuals (many treasure salvagers), the no-take zone was reduced from six percent to one percent in the 1996 final management plan.

FYI: The six percent designated as no-take zone in the draft management plan was already a major reduction from the 20 percent initially considered in 1990. Yet, despite these major concessions with regard to the extent of fully protected areas within the proposed FKNMS, the people of Monroe County were still not in favor of the establishment of a marine sanctuary in their backyards.

The citizenry of the Keys were troubled not only that the sanctuary would not address key local concerns, but also disturbed that to overlay an appointed bureaucracy on top of those duly elected to manage resource use would be a violation of the democratic process. As such, the people of the Keys (i.e. Monroe County, including the fiercely independent people of Key West) would become equivalent subjects in a NOAA administered colony.

Through the Conch Coalition, people of Monroe County pushed for a vote on the sanctuary issue. NOAA and the green groups that supported them (The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, the Center for Marine Conservation, and Last Stand) were against holding a vote but put significant funds into a pro-sanctuary campaign after Congressman Peter Deutsch promised to listen to the people with regard to their votes.

When the votes were counted, the people had voted against the existence of the marine sanctuary in the (non-binding) November 5, 1996 referendum. In the aftermath of the vote, NOAA reported that people had misunderstood what they were voting for or had been swayed by false, anti-sanctuary propaganda. Deutsch had no comment when he went forward and supported the sanctuary in spite of the vote.

Those against the sanctuary report that people knew exactly what they were voting for and that they were tired of public hearings which allowed for input but where they often had to wait for hours and where they felt they were not listened to. To them the vote was in line with earlier, anti-government activity in the region, the most notorious of which was the 1982 secession of Monroe County from the United States and the declaration on the independent Conch Republic.

The anti-sanctuary forces had some wealthy backers, including Mel Fisher, who found the wrecked Spanish galleon the Atocha. Fisher was a leader not only of the Conch Republic, but also opposed the sanctuary on the grounds that it would discourage treasure salvage by requiring lengthy permit applications and complicated, multi-stage archaeological and environmental assessments. In spite of considerable anti-sanctuary sentiment and the anti-sanctuary vote, the FKNMS was fully implemented in 1997.

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Few people have done more to protect the world’s coral reefs than John Halas. After observing coral damage caused by careless anchoring, he developed an environmental anchor and mooring buoy system that quickly spread worldwide as marine parks, dive operators, resorts, and private citizens wanted secure moorings to protect their sensitive marine habitats. John has heroically assisted more than 38 countries in efforts to protect corals, provide secure anchorages, and mark sites with moorings.

Halas has been working to protect coral systems in Florida since 1981. After observing coral damage caused by careless anchoring, he took it upon himself to develop an environmentally friendly anchor and mooring buoy system that prevents damage to coral reefs and has worked to implement this anchorage system in 38 countries. “My work is something I have felt strongly about and it is really a great honor to receive this acknowledgement,” Halas said.

As the finalist receiving the most votes, Halas will receive a $500 gift certificate from Oceana’s corporate partner Nautica and a special outgoing voicemail greeting recorded by Oceana board member Ted Danson. Second and third place prizes include an ocean-themed entertainment package and an assortment of Oceana memorabilia.

New Jersey-based Bob Schoelkopf finished second for his work rescuing and rehabilitating seals, dolphins, sea turtles and other marine animals. In 1978, Schoelkopf helped start a program in Brigantine, New Jersey to save stranded sea mammals. The program evolved into the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, which rescues and rehabilitates hundreds of injured marine creatures every year.

Shark expert Andy Dehart earned the third most votes in recognition for his work educating the public about sharks. Dehart is a shark expert who currently works at the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. and is a Discovery Channel shark advisor. He helps to educate the public on the important role sharks play in the ecosystem and the need to protect them. “Our winners are true ocean heroes,” said Andrew Sharpless, Oceana’s Chief Executive Officer. “Their work results in positive change for our seas, and I hope they inspire others to get involved.”

Nominations were received by mid-May and a final group of eight finalists was selected by a panel of Oceana’s policy, science, advocacy and communications experts. Oceana Wavemakers (online members) voted to select the final winners from mid-May to June 1. Along with Halas, Schoelkopf and Dehart, the other finalists included Girl Scouts and World Oceans Day advocates Chanel Gemini, Nika Kashyap and Sabina Van Tilburg from Hawaii; teenage anti-pollution activist Emily Goldstein from Louisville, KY, South Florida coral reef steward Lynora Indiviglio, legendary ocean educator Jeff “Mr. Fish” Sandler from Maine and Casey Sokolovic, an eleven-year-old grassroots sea turtle activist from North Carolina.

Short bios for all Ocean Hero finalists can be found at: www.oceana.org/heroes

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Using a new technique involving a “sponge holder,” the team removed and then affixed 20 Caribbean giant barrel sponges at Conch Reef, near Key Largo, Florida. Almost two-thirds of the sewed-on specimens survived at least another two to three years, despite four hurricanes passing over the area during that time. Most by that time had naturally reattached to the reef, something that usually did not occur in previous surgical attempts. – Jessica Leber

Source: McMurray, S.E., et al. 2009. A Novel Technique for the Reattachment of Large Coral Reef Sponges. Restoration Ecology DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100X.2008.00463.x

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Last April, the city of Marathon hired Waronker & Rosen Inc. to appraise the island. The company valued the island at $3.4 million with bridge access and $1.47 million without it. After the appraisal, the City Council voted to buy the island for $3.4 million and pay for removal of the steel bridge that is the entrance to busy Boot Key Harbor. [That works out to $3,500 an acre...quite a bargain in the Florida Keys were average landlocked, 60' x 100' lots (1/8 acre) range in value from $7,500 to $15,000.]

The island is eerie, like something out of The Twilight Zone: dead cars left on the lone road, a cannon next to an old boat called Run Amuck, rusted, empty trailers, overturned lobster traps, a 300-foot communications tower and a rickety radio station swarmed by 20 abandoned cats. But due to another deteriorating structure, Boot Key the junkyard could become Boot Key the nature preserve.

The Boot Key drawbridge, built in 1960, was closed a year ago for safety reasons by the Florida Department of Transportation, leaving the three private landowners with no vehicle access and the city of Marathon with a legal obligation to compensate them for the loss. Some city officials and environmentalists hope the city’s ”bridge to nowhere” headache — which includes a lawsuit filed against the city last week by one landowner — could ultimately become a green blessing.

Marathon Vice Mayor Don Vasil said he would like the city to buy Boot Key, with an assist from outside funding sources, then clean it up and “leave it as an environmentally sensitive area in perpetuity.” The island boasts wetlands, mangroves, salt ponds and native hardwood hammocks. Kayakers, hikers and bird-watchers are regular visitors.

The island also is a haven for hawks before they journey 90 miles or more to Cuba, South America and other tropical destinations. In 1987, a rare Key West quail dove was spotted on the island. If made into a preserve, Boot Key would join the area’s other ecotourist attractions: the Dolphins Research Center, Pigeon Key, the Turtle Hospital and Crane Point Hammock nature reserve. Vasil said the combination could make Marathon a first-class, eco-educational destination. He noted that the city has been in search of a better identity than the current catchphrase, “The Heart of the Florida Keys.”

But the city first must deal with the three landowners:

• Fort Lauderdale’s Barry Yampol controls the vast majority of the island — 1,017 acres — under the ownership of two corporations. None of the land is developed, although 27 scattered acres are potentially developable.

• Keys Radio Group owner Joe Nascone owns just under 10 acres, but his is the most valuable because his land is mixed-use and already has commercial development with the radio station.

• Marathon Wireless Communications Inc. owns 1.68 acres with a communications tower.

Nascone’s acreage lost the most value without bridge access, dropping from $2.42 million to $605,000.

It would have cost $8.7 million or more to repair or replace the bridge that serves only the three private landowners on an island with no permanent residents and little potential for future development.

Last month, to try to raise money to buy the island, the city hosted a tour of the island for U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, state Rep. Ron Saunders and others.

Boot Key is on the priority list for Florida Forever, a state land-buying program. But funds would have to be available and appropriated.

Meanwhile, Nascone said his patience has run out after 13 months with no bridge access. He said he sued the city because there has been no progress to buy his land. Without a bridge, he said, the radio stations are harder to run, plus he’s lost business from many of the 25 commercial fishermen who rented dock space.

Real estate broker Brian Schmitt, who represents property owner Yampol, said the $500,000 appraised value of the land was too low.

”I’ve been in this business 30 years and I can tell you 1,000 acres in the Keys is worth more than the appraisal,” Schmitt said.

Over the years, the city has considered development plans for the island, Schmitt said. One currently under consideration includes a handful of single-family homes along the ocean.

”We’re waiting for the city to get back on the development proposal and to see whether they want to enter substantial negotiations to buy the land at fair market value,” Schmitt said. “A preserve would be a great use of the property. One thousand acres of accessible island for sale doesn’t exist anywhere else in the Keys.”

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