Public Awareness Is Key To Saving Marine Environments by David Castagnacci
Debris and pollutants making their way into the Atlantic Ocean and Volusia waterways can spell disaster for marine life – and damage our community ’ s most valuable environmental assets . But public awareness and simple acts of engagement can do much to improve these situations .
For East Volusia , water is the main natural attraction , a mainstay of the community ’ s quality of life , tourism and overall economy . But as beach litter such as Styrofoam , cigarette butts and especially plastics washes out to sea , it clogs the insides of ocean creatures ( including sea turtles ) that mistake the garbage for food . Compounding the problem are fishing hooks and lines that entangle animals , including turtles and manatees – and chemicals dumped into waterways , poisoning marine life and destroying habitats that support it .
“ Everyone involved with water is impacted ,” comments Ponce Inlet fishing charter Captain Billy Rotne . A Florida native , Rotne has more than 25 years of experience fishing east Central Florida waters . He laments the impacts that pollution has caused to inland waterways , especially in Southeast Volusia ’ s Mosquito Lagoon , which is experiencing a substantial die-off of valuable seagrass . As a marine conservationist , Rotne is passionate about his goal to inform the public and promote restoration efforts . “ Everything that happens in the lagoon is a nursery for the ocean ,” he stresses .
And for Volusia County , the Mosquito Lagoon generates several hundred million dollars in economic activity each year .
Some progressive public awareness programs and restoration projects have been started by Volusia governments – as well as commercial fishermen and enthusiasts .
• Beach and river cleanups have become regular community events , with more than 1,300 volunteers collecting almost 5,000 pounds of trash last year . ( To volunteer , visit
volusia . org / volunteervolusia )
• A monofilament recycling program has receptacles at boat launches and underwater diving events to remove submerged debris .
• Volusia County has created 15 artificial reefs offshore of Ponce de Leon Inlet , providing new habitat for a variety of fish and other marine life .
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