Freighter hurt coral, spongesThe ship that ran aground in South Florida left a huge destruction zone.
By David Fleshler
Tallahassee Bureau
April 3, 2004
FORT LAUDERDALE -- A freighter that ran aground off Fort Lauderdale last week smashed coral and sheared off sponges over a wide area in what environmental officials say was the area's worst grounding in many years.
Divers this week discovered a destruction zone 1,200 feet long and 200 feet wide along the second reef from shore. They also found the crushed remains of a loggerhead sea turtle, a federally protected species.
"Everything was pulverized to rubble," said Ken Banks, manager of marine-resources programs for Broward County, who dove on the reef. "There was basically total destruction of the reef framework and anything living on it. This is probably the most extensive reef damage we've seen in Broward County in the last 10 years."
The Eastwind, a Greek-owned ship carrying bauxite and oil, ran up on the reef March 26 while trying to enter Port Everglades. The ship damaged its propeller and remained at the port for repairs. The Coast Guard is investigating.
The owner will be required to pay for any repairs that are possible, such as cementing live coral back into place and stabilizing the rubble so it doesn't move and cause more damage. The state will require the company to pay for mitigation work to improve the marine environment around the accident site.
Records at Port Everglades list the ship's owner as Eastwind Maritime. Jim Lawrence, spokesman for UK P&I Club, the owner's London-based insurance company, said it would cooperate with efforts to repair the reef and investigate the accident.
"The company is very pleased to be working through that process and is cooperating and wants to get it resolved to everyone's satisfaction," he said.
Lawrence said the company hasn't determined the cause of the accident. "The goal from our perspective is to figure it out and take steps so it doesn't happen again," he said.
At first, fish may be attracted to the crushed reef because they would try to find food there, he said. But as time passes, the crushed area will attract few fish because it won't offer the food sources that would attract fish to graze the reef.
"The reef that was crushed is basically dead right now," Banks said.
David Fleshler is a reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a Tribune Publishing newspaper.
By David Fleshler
Tallahassee Bureau
April 3, 2004
FORT LAUDERDALE -- A freighter that ran aground off Fort Lauderdale last week smashed coral and sheared off sponges over a wide area in what environmental officials say was the area's worst grounding in many years.
Divers this week discovered a destruction zone 1,200 feet long and 200 feet wide along the second reef from shore. They also found the crushed remains of a loggerhead sea turtle, a federally protected species.
"Everything was pulverized to rubble," said Ken Banks, manager of marine-resources programs for Broward County, who dove on the reef. "There was basically total destruction of the reef framework and anything living on it. This is probably the most extensive reef damage we've seen in Broward County in the last 10 years."
The Eastwind, a Greek-owned ship carrying bauxite and oil, ran up on the reef March 26 while trying to enter Port Everglades. The ship damaged its propeller and remained at the port for repairs. The Coast Guard is investigating.
The owner will be required to pay for any repairs that are possible, such as cementing live coral back into place and stabilizing the rubble so it doesn't move and cause more damage. The state will require the company to pay for mitigation work to improve the marine environment around the accident site.
Records at Port Everglades list the ship's owner as Eastwind Maritime. Jim Lawrence, spokesman for UK P&I Club, the owner's London-based insurance company, said it would cooperate with efforts to repair the reef and investigate the accident.
"The company is very pleased to be working through that process and is cooperating and wants to get it resolved to everyone's satisfaction," he said.
Lawrence said the company hasn't determined the cause of the accident. "The goal from our perspective is to figure it out and take steps so it doesn't happen again," he said.
At first, fish may be attracted to the crushed reef because they would try to find food there, he said. But as time passes, the crushed area will attract few fish because it won't offer the food sources that would attract fish to graze the reef.
"The reef that was crushed is basically dead right now," Banks said.
David Fleshler is a reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a Tribune Publishing newspaper.
