Many islanders are breathing a sigh of relief after a recent computer model used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted only a very low probability of oil or tar balls from the Deepwater Horizon reaching Anna Maria Island.
NOAA’s computer model map identifies the probability of problems in various sections of the Gulf and Atlantic Coast. Not surprisingly, the eastern Louisiana coast, the entire Alabama coast and the western half of the Florida Panhandle coast are given the highest probability, from 81 to 100 per cent.
What is surprising, however, are the regions with the second-highest probability of being contaminated by oil and tar. Areas in this group have a 61 to 80 percent chance of this, and they include the south central Louisiana coast and a very small zone in the central coastal part of the Florida Panhandle. Then comes the big surprise for this 61 to 80 percent prediction area: another large zone that runs from the Florida Keys up around the entire southeast coast of the state.
Anna Maria Island sits right on the border between two probability zones. The “below 1 percent” zone runs south from here. The “1 to 20 percent” zone runs north, beyond Tampa, almost to the Panhandle. What welcomed news this is.
These predictions were based on the assumption that the oil will continue to gush through late July at a rate of 33,000 barrels a day. Since it is based on historic wind and ocean current patterns, it’s not possible to anticipate what variation may occur with a major hurricane in the Gulf. Continue reading “Anna Maria Island Unlikely to be Affected by Oil Spill” »
The fate of the Gulf ecosystem is a tremendous concern. We may have no idea, yet, how far-reaching the consequences of the BP oil spill disaster will be. It is extremely disturbing to wonder how the beautiful sea life and bird life of Anna Maria Island will be impacted in the next few months.
Spending millions to market the fact that our beaches are still open seems like a desperate attempt for attention and takes resources away from the much more important challenge of actually solving the problem. Let’s hope there is still a good chance of protecting the sea life around here from premature demise.
The sea turtles and the birds are very actively monitored already, but some of the simpler forms of sea life deserve respect, too. This includes sand dollars, which is one reason it was very disturbing to find a large collection of them left to die on the beach the other night, abandoned by an ignorant beachcomber.
Sand dollars are not even beautiful when they are alive. Their whiteness comes only after the outer layer of skin and small spines has disappeared. It is the endoskeleton that is beautiful. I’m sure trying to clean a live sand dollar is not worth the smelly effort. It makes no sense to kill these creatures.
This member of the sea urchin family has the five sections of a sea urchin, but a flattened form. The very small spines allow it to move along the sandy bottom of the sea, and to burrow in. They also move food into the mouth. They eat mostly crustacean larvae, algae, diatoms and detritus.
A few years ago, scientists discovered something remarkable about sand dollars. They reproduce sexually, through external fertilization. However, their larvae have the ability to clone themselves and are likely to do this when threatened by a predator. The outcome is twice the number of larvae, with each one half the size. In some ways this is advantageous from a survival point of view.
Aside from general ethical reasons not to kill living creatures unnecessarily, there are laws in Manatee County, backed by the state of Florida, in relation to taking live shells. First of all, one must have a recreational salt water fishing license. And then only two of any particular species may be taken alive. There are some exceptions, such as oysters, several kinds of clams and coquinas, which may be taken in larger numbers.
Furthermore, queen conch and Bahama starfish may never be “harvested.” The conch may not even be touched.
In these times when our entire marine ecosystem is in peril, it seems especially appropriate to show our marine life respect and treat it well. The entire food chain is at risk.
Important things to keep in mind are to not scare and stress feeding and resting shore birds, disturb nesting birds, remove shells and shellfish, disturb turtle nests, and to turn off lights shining out at Gulf-front water, which interfere with turtle landings and hatchings.
When boating, do not churn through shallow grass flats and bay areas especially where manatee may be grazing.
