Breakers reef damaged by tow line

[maxheadroom]

PALM BEACH, FL -- It's one of the shiniest gems in Palm Beach County but lately divers are in for a surprise encounter on the Breakers reef.

"Sponges, hard corals, soft coral,s everything is just ripped out like somebody took a razor blade and scraped it off," says Steve Spring with Palm Beach Reef Rescue.

Spring saw the first sign of destruction in late October. He videotaped it as evidence and took it to authorities.

"The damage that was done affected things that have been living out there 100 years and it will take 100 years to replace the damage," says Ed Tichenor.

Experts believe a tow line from a tug and a barge dragged across the bottom of the Breakers reef. An area 100 yards by 20 yards a mile offshore was destroyed in a heartbeat.

"It's very bad, when you have large, hard corals, star corals, things like that are just ripped up flipped up over just rocking back and forth in the surge," says Spring.

Officials are expected to dive the site in the near future and try to stabilize the affected area. But the damage is done and now the public may provide the only answer to find those responsible.

Palm Beach County Reef Rescue is working with FWC and the Department of Environmental Protection to get the word out and figure out who committed this act of destruction on this local coral reef. They're also discussing ways to increase enforcement.

If you have information contact FWC or Reef Rescue




http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=b92ac696-cd45-411f-afa8-b5f83e28f3c4

 

[philter4]

It upsets me that things like this happen, but this is nothing compared to what the hotels do legally. they restore their beaches every 18-24 months killing and silting 100's and 100's of acres all with the approval of the athorities, then after the first storms the sand is pushed back over the reefs a second time killing more of what survived the silting. Not that they shouldn't find and penalize the people who do damage, but the authorities are such hypocrytes when it comes to reef destruction, if the hotels don't have beaches there is no revenues. Like I said, it is sad.

 

[Fin Mike]

Philter4 is correct, but let me add a little to his point. One of the biggest hypocrisies is dredging. When dredging occurs, nothing in the area is safe, and all that life dies a slow death either baking in the sun or being buried alive under tons of sand. What a shame!!