What is wrong with our waters?
To the editor:
I went to the opening of the WGCU documentary “Tale of Two Fish,” a very non-controversial presentation about mullet, much of which was filmed in the Pine Island area.
The brave and strong mullet fishermen who have worked these waters for generations say that something has changed drastically. They say the fish populations have dwindled.
They say sometimes their skin stings when they put it in the water.
What is wrong with our waters?
For 10 years I have kayaked off the Matlacha shores, since the year after the storm water barrier in NW Cape Coral was removed. The clear waters now look like they are about to turn to murky jello soup. It doesn’t take a scientist, although there is plenty of evidence to prove this, that the barrier needs to go back in.
Cape Coral proposes to build hotels, a strip mall and 150 docks right against the estuary where the barrier is supposed to be and has been. This development is short sighted, as it will add to the already huge devastation of our estuary.
Senseless sprawl on Old Burnt Store Road, which, by the way, doesn’t have as sewer system yet, is exactly the opposite of what needs to happen there.
What else can one conclude except that greedy business politicians have just bullied their way in.
What if Cape Coral instead spent some time and effort trying to restore the water flows through the mangroves to support the fishery and replaced the barrier as they have been ordered to do by the court.
When I go out in my kayak and roam the wild waters of the estuary we all know and love, it breaks my heart to see the lack of birds and fish that once used to be there.
Someone tell me, if the waters dumping into Matlacha from NW Cape Coral are so pure as some Cape officials say, why is Buzzard Bay water where the storm water discharges so filthy?
We can join together and stand behind these hard working fishermen and vote for people who can protect the beautiful natural estuary that we all love. Register and vote for the candidate who supports clean water.
Birdi Smock
Matlacha