Hydrophyte Volume 23 Issue 1 - January 2019

The South Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society

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Volume 23 Issue 1

Special Coastal Edition

Highlights The Manatees of Broward County Impacts of Invasive Lionfish Red Tide Event Affecting Florida and the Gulf Coast Sargassum in South Florida

Cover: Colleen Sullivan Location: Ocean Ridge, Florida

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President’s Message

Board Members - 2018 Officers 2019

Hello South Florida Aquatic Plant Management members!

Hughie Cucurullo, President (561) 845-5525 hcucurullo@avcaquatic.com

Happy New Year! The warm humid days of South Florida have subsided and this is now the time to take a minute and check over your herbicide license for expiration for any additional CEUs that are needed. At SFAPMS we are gearing up for a great lineup of speakers and experts to provide some helpful cutting edge insights at our next meeting on February 28, 2019 in Lee County.

Linda Wolonick, Secretary/Treasurer (954) 370-0041 linda@expertbizsolution.com

This will be the perfect time and location to network with some applicators on Florida’s West Coast. We have a member challenge this year.

Please try to help us expand our membership by inviting some of your colleagues to our sessions.

For a yearly membership fee of $50, our education sessions are a steal of a deal!

We thank you for your support and look forward to seeing you at an upcoming meeting in 2019!

All my best, Hughie Cucurullo President

Andy Fuhrman, Vice President (954) 382-9766 afuhrman@allstatemanagement.com

Scott Jackson, Immediate Past President (561) 402-0682 scott.jackson@syngenta.com Board Members 2019 Rose Bechard-Butman (954) 519-0317 rbechardbutman@broward.org James Boggs (352) 521-3538 Lyn Gettys, Ph.D. (954) 577-6331 Scott Jackson (561) 402-0682 Dail Laughinghouse (954) 577-6382 Rory Roten, Ph.D. (321) 890-4367

boggsj@helenachemical.com lgettys@ufl.edu scott.jackson@syngenta.com hlaughinghouse@ufl.edu roryr@sepro.com

Dharmen Setaram (407) 670-4094

dsetaram@landolakes.com

Norma Swann (334) 741-9393

norma.swann@alligare.com

Steven Weinsier (954) 382-9766 sweinsier@allstatemanagement.com

The Francis E. “Chil” Rossbach Scholarship Fund Funds from the scholarship are used to help defray costs for students taking classes related to the study of aquatic environmental sciences or related areas. The scholarship is open to anyone, and all are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted throughout the year and the scholarship awarded when a suitable candidate is found. Money raised by the Society during the year partially goes to fund this scholarship, the intent of which is to promote the study of aquatics.

For an application, please go to www.sfapms.org.

In Memory of

Dr. Michael Dyer Netherland Dr. Michael Dyer Netherland “Mike” passed away after a long battle with cancer in the Haven Hospice Care Center, Gainesville, Florida on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at the age of 54.

Mike is survived by his loving wife of 31 years Marci Love Netherland (Gainesville, FL); his son Luke Dyer Netherland (Gainesville, FL); his daughter Sarah Love Netherland (Ft. Myers, FL); his parents, Dr. Edwin Lane Netherland and Joelene Wisel Netherland (Lawton, OK); his 3 sisters Laurie Netherland Lewis (Hillsboro TX), Connie Netherland Hays (Edmond, OK), and Kathy Netherland (Lawton, OK). He is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Edwin and Gladys Netherland (Uniondale, Indiana) as well as his maternal grandparents Charlie and Lucille Wisel (Roanoke, Indiana).

Mike was born on November 16, 1963 in Huntington, Indiana to Lane and Joelene Netherland. He graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1982 (Lawton, OK); from Cameron University in 1986 (Lawton, OK) with a BS in Biology; from Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana) in 1989 with a MS in Botany and later earned his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) in 1999.

Mike was accomplished as a Research Scientist and currently worked for U.S. Army Corps of Engineer and was located at the University of Florida’s Center for Aquatic and invasive Plants in Gainesville, FL. He was a caring, dedicated individual who loved science, history and had an insatiable love of reading. He was passionate about education and loved interacting with the scientific community all over the world. He was an active and dedicated member of the Aquatic Plant Management Society both nationally and in local state chapters throughout the US. All that knew Mike will miss his wit and ability to inject humor to any situation.

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BEACH DUNE RESTORATION Allstate Resource Management wants your property to be protected! Your property’s most valuable asset is your beachfront backyard. Your exclusive beachfront property may be at risk. We can help you preserve it for today, tomorrow and for years to come.

A WELL DEVELOPED DUNE SYSTEM provides a natural barrier between the ocean waves and the valuable residential and vacation properties along our coastline. WITHOUT THE DUNES, YOUR PROPERTY IS VULNERABLE to the elements, storm surges and rising sea levels predicted for the future.

At Allstate Resource Management, our team of highly qualified habitat restoration experts have a proven track record of successfully completing restoration projects throughout Miami–Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

The scope of our work includes: • Site inspection to make observations • Developing a restoration plan to stabilize the dune system • Securing ALL necessary State of Florida DEP permits • Removing exotic invasive plants from the dune • Recommending modifications of existing beach access points • Planting sea oats and other native plants to restore the dunes and protect the property • Monitoring and maintaining the site after installation • Assisting with State reporting as necessary

CALL NOW FOR A FREE EVALUATION! 954.382.9766 http://www.allstatemanagement.com

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2019 Calendar of Events 2019 SFAPMS General Meetings February 28, 2019 June 13, 2019 September 26, 2019 2019 SFAPMS Board Meeting Thursday November 14, 2019 Locations TBD UF/IFAS Aquatic Weed Control 2019 Short Course May 6-9, 2019 Coral Springs, FL 2019 FLMS State Conference August 28-30, 2019 Hawks Cay Resort 2019 FAPMS State Conference October 14-17, 2019 St. Petersburg, FL

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SARGASSUM IN SOUTH FLORIDA

SHELLY KRUEGER, FLORIDA SEA GRANT AGENT IN MONROE COUNTY FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IFAS EXTENSION, HELLYKRUEGER@UFL.EDU If you like to fish, you may have heard these floating algae mats called the “weed line,” and they are fantastic spots to sportfish. Sargassum is actually a very important habitat type out in the open ocean as it provides one of the only places for some species of fish, crabs, and juvenile loggerhead sea turtles to forage and hide from predators. A thick clump of sargassum provides a feast for many species, including birds, and also attracts the larger gamefish who prey upon these species, like mahi and tuna. NOAA Fisheries considers sargassum essential fish habitat for snapper, grouper, gray triggerfish, and coastal pelagic migratory species like mackerel.

This past summer, you may have noticed tons of brown organic material washed up on beaches and decaying all over the Atlantic side of the Florida coast. But what is it, really? And why is it appearing on our beaches? It’s called sargassum, and it is brown algae, or seaweed, that floats in massive mats out on the open ocean. The area sargassum comes from is called the Sargasso Sea, which is not a true sea at all, but an area far offshore in the Atlantic Ocean between the eastern coast of Florida and Bermuda.

The Sargasso Sea and the mats of sargassum that float within it are defined by the dominant ocean currents – the Gulf Stream on the west, North Atlantic Current to the north, Canary Current on the east, and the North Atlantic Equatorial Current to the south, which creates a swirling gyre that contains the sargassum floating out at sea.

Frequently, the sargassum gets caught up in one of the currents and escapes the Sargasso Sea. The last time South Florida experienced a heavy sargassum loading year was 2015.

In South Florida, when we experience prevailing winds from the south and southeast, these massive floating mats of sargassum that have broken free from the circling gyre of the Sargasso Sea are washed onto shore with the wind and waves. Tons and tons! Unfortunately, the dead and decaying sargassum can remove oxygen from the water and lead to fish kills, smother seagrasses and turtle nests, and can become packed so thick inside the residential canals and marinas it can become difficult to get your boat out.

Historically, washed-up sargassum is one of the ways beaches were created in the Florida Keys, as the accumulation of seaweed along the shoreline helps to keep the sand from eroding and provides nutrients to help enrich the soil. But when the sargassum encounters a seawall or a canal instead of the beach there is little benefit for it decays, sinks, and stinks! Unfortunately, this is a major cause for fish kills because the decomposition of organic matter literally removes the oxygen from the water column. if you would like more information, please contact Shelly Krueger at the Monroe County Extension Service at 305-292-4501.

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IMPACTS OF INVASIVE LIONFISH Lionfish

History

Lionfish are native to coral reefs in the tropical waters of the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. But you don't have to travel halfway around the world to see them. This is an invasive species that threatens the well-being of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems, including the commercially and recreationally important fishes that depend on them. NOAA and its partners are working hard to develop ways to prevent further spread and control existing populations.

The common name “lionfish� refers to two closely related and nearly indistinguishable species that are invasive in U.S. waters. Lionfish, which are native to the Indo-Pacific, were first detected along Florida coasts in the mid-1980s, but their populations have swelled dramatically in the past 15 years.

Lionfish are popular with aquarists, so it is plausible that repeated escapes into the wild via aquarium releases are the cause for the invasion. Lionfish now inhabit reefs, wrecks, and other habitat types in the warm marine waters of the greater Atlantic.

Lionfish have become the poster child for invasive species issues in the western north Atlantic region. On par with zebra mussels, snakeheads, and even Asian carp in notoriety as invaders, lionfish populations continue to expand, threatening the well-being of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems, including the commercially and recreationally important fishes that depend on them.

NOAA and its partners are working hard to develop ways to prevent further spread and control existing populations.

Lionfish continue to expand at astonishing speeds and are harming native coral reef ecosystems in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. Biologists suspect that lionfish populations have not yet peaked in the Gulf of Mexico, which means that their demand for native prey will continue to increase. Recent research has also revealed that lionfish can tolerate brackish coastal zones, so mangrove and estuarine habitats may also be at risk of invasion.

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IMPACTS OF INVASIVE LIONFISH (CONT.) Lionfish expand at astonishing speeds and are harming native coral reef ecosystems in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. Biologists suspect that lionfish populations have not peaked in the Gulf of Mexico, which means that their demand for native prey will continue to increase. Recent research has also revealed that lionfish can tolerate brackish coastal zones, so mangrove and estuarine habitats may be at risk of invasion.

Impacts to Native Fish and Coral Reefs Adult lionfish are primarily fish-eaters and have very few predators outside of their home range. Researchers have discovered that a single lionfish residing on a coral reef can reduce recruitment of native reef fishes by 79 percent. Because lionfish feed on prey normally consumed by snappers, groupers, and other commercially important native species, their presence could negatively affect the well-being of valuable commercial and recreational fisheries.

As lionfish populations grow, they put additional stress on coral reefs already struggling from the effects of climate change, pollution, disease, overfishing, sedimentation, and other stressors that have led to the listing of seven coral species in the lionfish-infested area. For example, lionfish eat herbivores and herbivores eat algae from coral reefs. Without herbivores, algal growth goes unchecked, which can be detrimental to the health of coral reefs.

What’s Next?

NOAA has created an Invasive Lionfish Web Portal—a clearinghouse for all things related to lionfish outreach and education, research, monitoring, and management.

Interested parties will no longer need to browse through multiple web pages to find accurate information; it will be available in a centralized location.

NOAA researcher and lionfish expert Dr. James Morris recently hosted the 7th annual lionfish symposium at the 2014 meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute in Barbados. More than 35 presentations were given on lionfish research around the region.

This meeting built upon the results of a 2013 GCFI lionfish workshop focused on harvesting invasive lionfish: • An invasive lionfish food fish market is practical, feasible, and should be promoted.

• Alternative invasive lionfish end-uses, such as the curio and aquarium trade, are also viable markets.

• Regarding consumption and the ciguatera poisoning risk, invasive lionfish should not be treated differently than other tropical fish species and a general caution statement should be displayed within all establishments that serve fish and on all fish products.

• Local control is effective at minimizing invasive lionfish impacts at local scales and should be encouraged where possible.

Though no confirmed cases of ciguatera poisoning from eating lionfish have occurred, fears persist. A Caribbean-wide assessment of lionfish ciguatera levels is nearly complete and a report will be publicly available in the coming months.

If lionfish are proven to be safe, and if cost-effective harvest and distribution mechanisms are developed, small-scale fishermen may be able to capitalize while simultaneously helping to control the invasion.

Cooperation and communication among local, state, federal, and international partners is crucial for proper management of lionfish and other widespread invasive species.

Accordingly, a National Invasive Lionfish Prevention and Management Plan was developed by members of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force—an intergovernmental organization co-chaired by NOAA. The plan will be publicly available in spring 2015 pending final review and approval.

NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries Program is working to finalize their own lionfish plan that will guide the management of this invasive species in the affected sanctuaries in the Gulf and southeastern United States.

Together, these plans will guide the management of invasive lionfish and ensure that all are working toward common objectives.

Credit: NOAA Office of Communications

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FALL 2018 RED TIDE EVENT AFFECTING FLORIDA AND THE GULF COAST CREDIT: NOAA

What is happening?

An unusually persistent harmful algal bloom (red tide) is currently affecting portions of the coasts of Florida. It has persisted on the southwest coast since October 2017 and, more recently, spread to the Panhandle and the east coast of Florida. A short-lived bloom also occurred in Texas in September, 2018. Red tides, caused by Karenia brevis algae, produce toxins that can cause fish kills, respiratory irritation, and mortality of sea turtles, manatees, birds, and dolphins. For the latest updates, visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's red tide status website, the Texas Parks and Wildlife's red tide status website, or the NOAA Harmful Algal Bloom Bulletin.

How long will this red tide last?

What are the potential effects of hurricanes on red tides?

Tropical storms affect red tides by moving ocean water around. For example, a harmful algal bloom off the coast of southwest Florida in 2005 was carried up to the Florida Panhandle during Hurricane Katrina. Regarding the algal bloom currently affecting Florida, it appears to have intensified and spread to the Florida Panhandle after Tropical Storm Gordon in Sept. 2018 (however, researchers have not yet conducted a thorough analysis of the effects of this storm on the bloom). The Sept. 2018 algal bloom in Texas was likely a separate event, occurring at the time of year that is typical for such blooms in that region.

What is NOAA’s role in responding to this red tide event?

If and when the current bloom in Florida will end remains an open-ended question. Red tides in Florida can last as little as a few weeks or longer than a year. They may even subside and then reoccur. In 2005, for example, a bloom started off the coast of St. Petersburg, Florida, in January and then spread from there to Pensacola and Naples by October, persisting for the majority of the year. The duration of a bloom in nearshore Florida waters depends on physical and biological conditions that influence its growth and persistence, including sunlight, nutrients, and salinity, as well as the speed and direction of wind and water currents. Researchers are watching oceanographic conditions in the region carefully and using forecasting tools similar to seasonal weather forecasts to predict how long this bloom will last.

NOAA conducts scientific research and provides forecasts to give communities advance warnings to better deal with the adverse environmental impacts, health effects, and economic losses associated with red tide and other harmful algal bloom events.

Are the red tides in Texas and Florida related?

In addition, NOAA, along with its trained and authorized partners in the marine mammal stranding network, work together to respond to stranded marine animals found along the coastline.

Red tides occur less frequently and are less persistent in Texas than in Florida, but have increased in recent years.

The mechanisms leading to blooms in the two regions are thought to be different, but more research is needed to understand possible connections.

NOAA monitors conditions year-round and provides official forecasts for red tide through two main products: conditions reports and bulletins. The conditions report identifies the risk of respiratory irritation in a county over the next three to four days. Bulletins provide decision-makers with a more in-depth analysis of the location of a current bloom and reported impacts, as well as forecasts of potential development, intensification, transport, and associated impacts of blooms.

Both products are updated twice weekly during a bloom.

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FALL 2018 RED TIDE EVENT AFFECTING FLORIDA AND THE GULF COAST CREDIT: NOAA

Can this red tide event be stopped?

Is this normal?

Stopping a bloom of this scale may not be possible. In the early 2000s, NOAA funded studies to test the use of clays to control red tides. Since that time, different types of clays have been developed in Asia that have fewer environmental effects. The State of Florida is now providing funding to test the use of these newer clays on a small scale during the current bloom, using lessons learned from the earlier NOAA-funded studies.

This year’s bloom is different from what we’ve seen before in several ways:

Is this red tide dangerous?

The Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, produces potent neurotoxins, called brevetoxins, that can affect the central nervous systems of many animals, causing them to die. That is why red tides are often associated with fish kills. Mortalities of other species, including manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, and birds also occur.

Wave action near beaches can break open K. brevis cells and release the toxins into the air, leading to respiratory irritation. For people with severe or chronic respiratory conditions, such as emphysema or asthma, red tide can cause serious illness. People with respiratory problems should avoid affected beaches during red tides.

Red tide toxins can also accumulate in filter-feeder mollusks such as oysters and clams, which can lead to Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP) in people who consume contaminated shellfish. While not fatal, NSP causes diarrhea and discomfort for about three days.

Rigorous state monitoring of water and shellfish assures that commercial shellfish is safe, often by closing harvest beds. Recreational harvesters have the greatest risk of NSP, often due to a lack of awareness of the problem.

Harvesters should check Florida websites to determine if it safe to harvest shellfish in areas of these states.

Is it still safe to go to the beach?

Some areas may be more affected than others. Check NOAA forecasts and Mote Marine Laboratory's Beach Conditions Reporting System to assist in locating unaffected areas.

Timing: Blooms of this algae typically start in late summer or early fall. The current Florida bloom is similar to a bloom that lasted from 2004 to 2006 with the greatest impacts in 2005.

That bloom spread to northwest and east counties, resulting in severe mortalities of many species, widespread closures of shellfish harvesting, and hypoxic bottom waters (especially in reef areas).

Duration: While not unprecedented in its duration, this bloom is unusually persistent. It started in October 2017 and continued through spring of 2018. By early summer, the bloom resurged and was detected in five southwest Florida counties. Some shellfish harvesting areas have been closed since November 2017. In September, following Tropical Storm Gordon, it spread to the Florida Panhandle. At the beginning of October 2018, it has been observed along the east coast of Florida.

Size: The size of the bloom changes from week to week, and it is patchy. Not every beach is affected every day, so it is important to stay up to date with the NOAA conditions report.

As of August 15, the bloom stretched from Pinellas County to Collier County, more than 150 miles.

While the timing, duration, and size of this red tide are unusual, red tides are not new to the Gulf Coast. Red tides were documented in the southern Gulf of Mexico as far back as the 1700s and along Florida's Gulf coast in the 1840s. Fish kills near Tampa Bay were even mentioned in the records of Spanish explorers. For more information on historical red tide events in Florida.

What do you do if you see sick, injured, stranded, or dead wildlife?

If you see sick, injured, or stranded wildlife, such as a sea turtle, manatee, dolphin, seabird, or a large fish kill in Florida, report it to the following standing network hotlines. To report an injured, hooked, entangled, or stranded sea turtle, call 1-877-942-5343.

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FALL 2018 RED TIDE EVENT AFFECTING FLORIDA AND THE GULF COAST CREDIT: NOAA

To report other sick or injured wildlife and fish kills, contact FWC Wildlife Alert or call 888-404-FWCC (888-404-3922). If you see dead or injured marine mammals, call 1-877-WHALE HELP (1-877-942-5343).

You can also report via the Dolphin and Whale 911 Phone App.

What is the projected effect of this red tide on marine life? How long will it take for impacted marine life to recover?

There is no way to project the cumulative effects of this red tide event. Red tide occurs naturally in coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico with blooms appearing seasonally.

Although the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, typically blooms between August and December, blooms often deviate from that time frame. The current bloom continues to be monitored by our local and state partners.

Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) red tide status page. Reports of fish kills and marine animal deaths are made publicly available on FWC’s website. For more information on the effects of red tide on marine animals, shellfish, and people, visit our health information page.

What is red tide?

Harmful algal blooms occur nearly every summer along the nation's coasts. The blooms turn the water red. While many people call all such events "red tides," scientists prefer the term harmful algal bloom or HAB. A red tide or

HAB results from the rapid growth of microscopic algae.

Some produce toxins that have harmful effects on people, fish, marine mammals, and birds. In Florida, this is primarily caused by the harmful algae species Karenia brevis. Red tide can result in varying levels of eye and respiratory irritation for people, which may be more severe for those with preexisting respiratory conditions (such as asthma). The blooms can also cause large fish kills and discolored water along the coast.

How Does the NOAA Forecast Work?

NOAA uses a combination of satellite imagery and water samples of the algae species Karenia brevis,collected from the field by local partners, to forecast the location and intensity of red tide events. Satellite imagery is a key tool for detecting blooms before they reach the coast, verifying bloom movement and forecasting potential respiratory irritation.

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