Off the Cuff / My Other Journal

Great job! St. Lucie County reef Restoration Prog.

Something very local made me happy, today.

St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program is now collecting oyster, clam, and mussel shells from restaurants and raw bars in large bags to provide a fish habitat inside the Indian River Lagoon. The empty shells could also be used for the oyster larvae to settle in until adulthood. The shells will be part of the modules to be lowered into the water in spawning areas.

With the hurricanes and the Okechobee River's dirty waters being emptied into the lagoon, the fish and shellfish were getting poisoned and dying. Finally, a positive step is taken by our county.

Several fishermen of the area took to deep sea fishing and recreational fishing had diminished because of all the problems inside the lagoon. This move at least shows some recognition of the problem.

Now, if only we could find a solution to the dirty Okeechobee waters!