Caribbean Coral Crisis

[Ray Odor]

For those of you who have complained of the big, dead, white spots and dead fish on our West coast Reef's, you may want to check out http://news.tbo.com/ and Search for:Caribbean Coral Crisis in today's Tampa Tribune. Of course, we bottom dwellers know there is no way that 248 MILLION gallons of Phosphate waste water dumped in the Middle grounds could have affected either condition. Even if the scientists did track the flow with GPS sensors all the way around past the Florida Keys. What say you, Capt. Gene?

[Grauer]

Better link

http://www.tbo.com/news/scitech/MGBVAS1YFLE.html

[Capt.Gene]

I say I've never seen anyone sweat, stumble and stammer as bad as the woman EPA scientist being interviewed on tv about the possable connection between red tide and dumping fertilizer and ammonia into the gulf. She looked like a school kid in the principals office trying to explain her way out of a jackpot after being caught red handed doing something really evil!
Anyone else remember that from maybe 6 months ago?
That slurry was to toxic for the EPA to allow to be dumped on land for disposal, but it was OK to pump it into the Gulf.
How can you de-toxify 1/2 billing gallons of fertilizer water by using a truck mounted desal system designed to remove salt from sea water?
By the company's own press release they didn't know if it would work, their filter system plugged continously and repeatedly, and the project was annointed a complete success!
But what ever happened to the recovered phosphate, ammonia and acids that were supposidly removed from the liquid before it was dumped? Answer remains a mystery. Anyone have an answer?
How much lime was added to the slurry before it was pumped off the barges or piped offshore to kill about half our sea turtles, dolphins and jew fish? And a few billion tons of biomass? And the reefs themselves? Conservation management my ass.
The thing that astonishes me the most is a complete lack of accountability.
What a cover up.
Not a WORD from any of the outdoor writers who have colums in the two regional news papers that might have brough this into the open.
This story should have been picked up nationally and the State of Florida should have been pointed out as culpable.
Thanks, Jeb, you moron. I hope you choke.

[Ray Odor]

Amen Brother!!!

[jaysun40]

I did my first dive shallow (45ft.) two weeks ago, since last year. I usually load up on hog fish in this particular spot, but I didn't see one. I didn't see any crabs either. I saw many sheepies and juvenile grouper; maybe one keeper grouper, but left him alone. The water was so clear (almost top to bottom), but the life on the reef is still rebounding from last years acid red tide. On a brighter note: I saw kingfish everywhere and didn't see one boat in the area. I heard there was a kingfish tournament that weekend and the anglers didn't fare too well. They must have been too deep.