Study by the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust

February 22, 2022

Via Email:

Mayor John Bartus (bartusj@ci.marathon.fl.us)
Vice Mayor Dr. Daniel Zieg (ziegd@ci.marathon.fl.us)
Council Member Steve Cook (cooks@ci.marathon.fl.us)
Council Member Luis Gonzalez (gonzalezl@ci.marathon.fl.us)
Council Member Robyn Still (stillr@ci.marathon.fl.us)

Dear Honorable Mayor, Vice Mayor and Council Members,

Our organizations represent thousands of residents of the Florida Keys who join Friends of the Lower Keys (FOLKS) in opposing the use of shallow sewage wells. We all know our nearshore waters are connected.  And a recently released study by the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust shows some water quality impacts from sewage effluent affecting the fisheries throughout the Keys. (See https://fb.watch/aXMSjkbX59/).

The study found the presence of pharmaceutical drugs in bone fish and their prey (shrimp, crab, and small fish).  Jim McDuffie, president and CEO of the BTT, stated, “Pharmaceutical contamination was detected at levels high enough to have biological effects on the fish, thus posing a risk or a threat to our fishery.” And, that “The source of this contamination is human waste and a wastewater infrastructure that has been pressed beyond its technological capability and capacity.”

Please do your part to protect the water quality and fisheries of the Florida Keys. 

Cc: Steven Williams, City Attorney/Deputy City Manager (williamss@ci.marathon.fl.us)  

Florida Bay Forever
Emma Haydocy,
Executive Directorinfo@floridabayforever.org

Reef Relief
Mill McCleary,
Executive Directorreefrelief@gmail.com

Florida Keys Fishing Guides Association Inc.
Capt. Steve Friedman,
Commodorefkfgacommodore@gmail.com

Evan Haskell,
President Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships
info@safercleanerships.com

Key Deer Protection Alliance
Board of Directors
KeydeerProtectionAlliance@gmail.com

Sugarloaf Shores Property Owners Association, Inc. (SSPOA)
Stuart Schaffer, President
http://www.sugarloafer.org/

Capt. Andrew Tipler,
President Lower Keys Guides Association
board@lkga.org

Michael Chenowith, President
Isaak Walton League of America
Florida Keys Chapter
floridakeysiwla@gmail.com

Cudjoe Gardens Property Owners Association
Kathy Niemann-Winters, President
https://cudjoegardens.org/

Florida Keys Environmental Fund, Inc.
Charles Causey, President
fkef@mindspring.com

North Cow Key Boater Association
Christine Liniger, Spokesperson
chelininger@msn.com

Derke Snodgrass
30-year Fishery Biologist
derkesnodgrass@hotmail.com