Resurrecting the Indian River Lagoon

BY CAPTAIN MIKE HOLLIDAY

decade ago, the Indian River Lagoon was known as the most diverse saltwater estuary in North America with lush seagrass meadows, miles of mangrove shoreline and roughly a quarter of the state’s salt marshes. These days, it resembles more of a blotchy, barren moonscape.

This 156-mile stretch of coastal waterway between Ponce Inlet and Jupiter Inlet on Florida’s eastern coastline has been in cascading decline because of two major factors: poor water quality and major habitat loss—both leading to decline of the lagoon’s marine life and gamefish populations. The welldocumented seagrass loss in the Indian River Lagoon is directly related to the multi-faceted water quality issues that include high volume freshwater runoff, nutrient and sediment pollution, and green and brown algae blooms. Unfortunately, different segments of the lagoon suffer from their own unique water quality issues which require site-specific remedies.

On the southern end of the lagoon in Stuart, discharges from Lake Okeechobee spill into the St. Lucie River via a man-made connection, carrying nutrient-laden fresh water into the river. These discharges may last months at a time and, at times, turn the brackish estuary completely fresh, destroying the saltwater dependent marine life in its wake. Farther north, where the river bisects the Banana River and Mosquito Lagoon, coastal runoff and aging septic tanks load nutirents into the system, exacerbating both green and brown algae blooms. These blooms, which seem to be increasing in volume and frequency, are decimating the marine ecosystem in the upper lagoon.

Fortunately, there are solutions in the works for the runoff and nutrient issues in the form of Everglades Restoration through the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, accelerated sewer system updates through state-funded grants, and a new $100 million Indian River Lagoon Protection Program announced by Governor Ron DeSantis in Executive Order 23-06. While those projects are underway and being planned at the state and federal levels, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has adapted its management strategies to include aggressive regional management of existing marine life and habitat into an overall restoration plan for the lagoon while helping fight destructive development practices.

The mainland and barrier island that border shorelines of the lagoon host a tangled series of marshes known locally as “mosquito impoundments.” Many are still being utilized for mosquito control, but some have been sealed off from tidal flow over the last couple of decades. These mangrove-lined marshes are slowly being reconnected and opened to tidal influence through a series of culverts and pump houses, creating a myriad of brackish habitats for juvenile tarpon, snook, crabs, mullet and killifish.

Other good examples are shifts from a one-size-fits-all statewide fisheries management towards regional fisheries management that includes allowing the state to monitor fish populations and create protective measures in areas that are most impacted by the habitat loss or decline in fisheries. That strategy works both ways, as areas that have increased fish populations are now allowed longer seasons or increased bag limits.

Since around 2011, FWC has used regional management rules on snook, redfish and seatrout to address declines in populations attributed to overfishing and natural disasters like cold weather and red tides. It wasn’t until recently that more emphasis was placed on water quality and overall habitat loss.

To accomplish its mission, FWC relied heavily on scientific research as well as public input to determine the underlying issues in each region. FWC did this by holding a series of public meetings and symposia designed to gather scientists, fishing guides and anglers in one room to review the science on the health of each fishery. Through public comment at the Snook, Spotted Seatrout and Redfish Symposia, FWC scientists learned about regional issues that may not have been exposed in sustainability studies, while at the same time learning if their data on the health of each species matched what the watermen were seeing. From there, FWC was able to gauge whether the regions needed more attention and possible species protection.

As the science and public testimony merged and potential trouble spots were identified, FWC began a deep dive into the problem areas, eventually opting to adjust regional rules that address not just the overall fish populations, but also water quality and habitat decline in those areas. This management shift allows FWC to get out in front of declining fish populations before the fisheries collapse and be in a position to rebuild them as the habitat and water quality issues improve.

The most recent rule changes involve redfish, a highly targeted gamefish in just about every region of the state, but a species that was severely impacted in the Indian River Lagoon by oxygenstarving algae blooms and loss of viable habitat, particularly seagrass. Through stakeholder feedback and on-the-water creel studies, FWC opted to close all harvest of redfish in the Indian River Lagoon until further notice.

FWC’s focus on habitat reflects the regional issues that may impact different fisheries. At the same time, the lagoon needs aggressive protection of the remaining naturally occurring habitat and restoration of degraded habitat, with a spotlight on addressing water quality issues. Coastal development in the forms of seawall, dock, and marina construction and channel dredging need to fall under a “zero natural habitat” impact restriction. Slowly chipping away at what available natural habitat is left for new development is a “death by a thousand cuts” mentality that negates the recovery progress and will eventually overwhelm the marine life of the lagoon.

A good example is the proposed Seagrass Mitigation Bank Legislation. In the last two years, the state has been approached with political bills to create Seagrass Mitigation Banks which in theory would allow developers to destroy current seagrass beds for construction of marinas and docks, and then pay to have grass replanted in another area. The bills have been shot down, but shouldn’t even be entertained as an option, given the low success rate and the decreased density and long-term sustainability of planted areas compared to natural seagrass beds.

The climate is changing, as are the ways we determine the health of our marine ecosystems around the state, but through shifts in fisheries management that take these evolving issues into consideration, FWC and the State of Florida are improving the way we manage our fisheries and putting significant effort and funding into addressing the long-standing issues facing the lagoon under the umbrella of the newly created Indian River Lagoon Protection Program. These changes will serve to ensure that fish populations can reestablish themselves as the conditions improve over time.