Halt Propeller Scarring Of Tampa Bay Sea Grass

It has been almost 22 years since this editorial page detailed the devastating damage boat propellers were doing to Tampa Bay and questioned why no government agency would take action to protect the sea grass meadows that filter water and sustain marine life.

It would be unfair to say nothing has been done in the interim. There have been meetings and studies. A few warning signs and channel markers have been erected. Slow or idle speeds are required in many areas, but to protect manatees, not sea grasses.

But sadly, prop scarring remains severe, particularly along Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve, perhaps the most fertile nursery ground for juvenile fish in the bay.

Scientists don't have the funding to document how many scars there are. But Tom Ash, Hillsborough Environmental Protection Commission manager of environmental restoration, says, "It's safe to say there are somewhere between 10,000 and 30,000" prop scars in the Cockroach Bay area alone.

This represents serious environmental damage because it can take between five and 10 years for the sea grass to recover. Areas where the grasses are continually ripped up become barren.

But there is hope after all these years that something substantial will be done about this relentless uprooting of the delicate grass on the bay bottom.

Crabber and longtime bay champion Gus Muench is campaigning to ban the use of motors in Cockroach Bay. Motorboat operators would be required to "troll or pole."

Some boaters oppose banning of all motor use, insisting that better enforcement of existing slow speed limits should be sufficient.

But Muench, who once opposed a ban, rightly points out law enforcement agencies don't have the resources to consistently monitor boats. Moreover, even boats going slow can tear up sea grasses should they venture into shallow water.

A "troll and pole" task force made up of interested citizens has come up with five different proposals. The Hillsborough County Commission will have the final word on the boating restrictions.

One would require most of Cockroach Bay to be troll and pole, as Muench wants. Others would allow various "access corridors," where boats could go at higher speeds, but everything outside the corridors would be troll and pole.

The idea of corridors is appealing, since it would allow charter boat captains and others to quickly get to their destinations, but would protect most sea grass beds. It is encouraging that most fishermen, even those opposed to a complete motor-use ban, understand the need to protect the sea grasses. They also know that less boat traffic improves fishing.

But the problem is most of Cockroach Bay is shallow, without the deep channels that would ensure such corridors did not cause damage. Another drawback is that with state and local revenue much diminished, there is no budget for implementation or enforcement.

Allowing higher-speed corridors also will require the approval of federal and state regulators, since the change would weaken existing manatee protections.

Muench's approach is the safest, but even the competing proposals allowing corridors would represent a substantial improvement over the current situation, where boats can putter into fragile areas at will.

Concerned citizens and county officials deserve credit for working on a solution. But the sea grass plowing has been going on for far too long.

Hillsborough should put a stop to the prop scarring in this marine life sanctuary once and for all.