Key West The Newspaper

by Douglas Hattendorf…….

Naja,

Last week there was the bi-monthly meeting of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the main topics were of corals dying, garbage and lobster trap debris. As it should be in me own opinion.

The trap debris or whole traps in 5ft of water with 50ft of rope won’t be taken care of until June so as a prior trapper and commercial diver I couldn’t agree with that. So I said we were starting tomorrow and none disagreed. mamaOcean was representing as a NPO and just the ability to get the traps back to the owners and not cause more harm is needed now.

Half of the 20 plus injured turtles we have brought in to the Turtle Hospital in the last 20 years were wrapped in trap rope. The amount now in the mangroves up to storm wave height of 15 feet is not staying there until June.

Thanks to staff for no disagreement there but I missed on the other 2 points:

The plastics, styrenes and assorted garbage that once coated the place ended up in peoples’ yards where it isn’t hiding anymore. This shoreline garbage still grows daily so we are starting 3 sections of Lower Keys to MM 35 Scout Key and Middle Keys MM35 to MM 70 West End of Channel 5 Bridge and Upper Keys from MM 70 to MM to 105. Crews will be cleaning the shorelines, mangroves and near shore islands daily.

The third point is on the amount of sunscreens that go into the water and the amount of Imidacloprid that goes in as well, please everyone look up this stuff Imidacloprid. It’s used like water in South Florida but is pure poison. Looking further into when these two nasty chemicals join. As in the Dibrom when mixed with Deet and they become even more toxic. We just don’t know but the fact of their presence on there own is startling enough.

Lets take care of what we Love and where we Live!

mamaOcean Needs Our Love!