Fishing For A Solution

By YVETTE C. HAMMETT The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 26, 2007

RUSKIN - The seagrass dances and sways right up to the water's surface in some areas of Little Cockroach Bay, making it impossible for passing propellers not to leave their mark.

Throughout the larger Cockroach Bay area, between the Little Manatee River and the Hillsborough-Manatee county line, some 15,000 propeller scrapes scar the underwater landscape, even though the area is designated a slow-speed zone.

Cockroach Bay and Little Cockroach Bay hug much of Tampa Bay's eastern shore and are heavily used by anglers and pleasure boaters from nearby communities.

Increasing boat traffic and sporadic enforcement of laws meant to protect the shallow shoreline from boat propellers has caused more damage to the seagrass beds, ruining important habitat for young marine life, environmentalists say.

"People come out here and use trolling motors when they're trying to catch snook or redfish, then they crank up their engines and tear up the seagrass that the fish depend on," said Gus Muench, who has been blue crabbing in the Bay for more than 30 years and is an outspoken advocate for protecting Cockroach Bay.

Other boaters don't try to slow down as they cross the shallow flats, he said.

"If you didn't have all the people, you wouldn't have a problem," said Muench, who favors shutting down the Cockroach Bay area to boat motors.

The Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission is considering an experimental "pole and troll zone" that would ban the use of boat engines in Little Cockroach Bay. Only hand polling and use of electric trolling motors would be allowed.

A meeting to get public input on the proposal is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the South Shore Regional Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way in Ruskin.

The EPC will present an overview of a draft Seagrass Management Action Plan, then listen to public comment. The plan will make its way to the county commission for consideration this summer.

"This will be the first time the EPC has had a formal document," said Gerold Morrison, EPC's environmental resource manager. The document is based on information provided by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, which has studied seagrass in Tampa Bay for years.

"The estuary program focuses at the Bay level and segments of the Bay," Morrison said. "We are looking at areas where seagrass is under particular stress. In some areas of the Bay, seagrass is stable. In some areas it is declining, and in other areas it's increasing."

Seagrass beds are the nursery grounds and living quarters for many of the marine creatures that make up the Tampa Bay ecosystem.

The proposal for the new pole and troll zone also calls for finding ways to fund enforcement on Little Cockroach Bay, something that is lacking, Morrison said.

"It's my understanding that the enforcement agencies are stretched very thin and pulled off frequently for homeland security issues," Morrison said. The EPC hopes to get money dedicated specifically for marine enforcement in the area, he said.

The Manatee Awareness Coalition, a multiagency task force asked to comment on the pole and troll plan, said only Little Cockroach Bay should be off-limits to motors.

"That should be sufficient to protect both manatees and seagrass if people comply," said Nanette O'Hara, who represents the estuary program on the coalition. "There is very poor compliance, and I, personally, have never seen any law enforcement out there."

Also, O'Hara said, Little Cockroach Bay has limited access and is extremely shallow, so it would be easier to enforce a pole-and-troll zone there.

Muench disagreed, as did Nick Ehringer, who has studied the Bay's seagrasses for nearly 20 years. Both advocate prohibiting use of boat motors in all of Cockroach Bay.

"Everybody violates the rules," Muench said. "I watch them every day. We need to give it more importance. We need something in Hillsborough County to be proud of. This could be it."

Ehringer said it's a matter of common sense. A biology professor at Hillsborough Community College, Ehringer worked with University of South Florida Professor Emeritus Clinton Dawes in the early 1990s to set up four no-boat zones in Cockroach Bay to protect seagrass. In 10 years, the beds "completely regenerated," he said. Since the buoys delineating those areas were removed, boaters have again dramatically scarred the seagrass, he said.

"I would advocate closing all of Cockroach Bay to boat motors," Ehringer said. "Seagrasses are a protected species, and we need to protect them, one way or another. If we lose seagrass, we lose crabs, shrimp, fish and everything else."

Those unable to attend the meeting Thursday can e-mail their comments to Barbara Motte at motte@epchc.orgor mail comments to her at the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County, 3629 Queen Palm Drive, Tampa FL 33619.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: A meeting to hear public input on the proposal to ban motors in Little Cockroach Bay

WHERE: South Shore Regional Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin

WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or at yhammett@tampatrib.com.