Hurricane Ian ruins man-made reefs, brings algae bloom to Florida

FORT MYERS, Fla. — (AP) — Hurricane Ian not only ravaged southwest Florida on land but was destructive underwater as well. It destroyed man-made reefs and brought along a red tide, the harmful algae blooms that kill fish and birds, according to marine researchers who returned last week from a six-day cruise organized by the Florida Institute of Oceanography.

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Researchers who used the cruise to study marine life in the Gulf of Mexico following the hurricane say it left in its wake a red tide and destroyed artificial reefs from as far away as 30 miles from the coast of southwest Florida.

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Photos: Hurricane Ian's devastating impact on Florida MATLACHA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 30: Whitney Hall (R) embraces a friend atop the remains of his home amidst wreckage left in the wake of Hurricane Ian on the island of Matlacha on September 30, 2022 in Matlacha, Florida. The hurricane brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area causing severe damage. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“The one-time vibrant reefs are now underwater disaster sites themselves,” said Calli Johnson, safety dive officer for the research cruise. “Where there used to be a complete ecosystem, there are now only fish that were able to return after swimming away.”

Watch: FEMA hiring locals to help with Hurricane Ian recovery

Before the Category 4 storm made landfall a month ago, southwest Florida had a reputation for being one of the best saltwater fishing destinations in the U.S.

Video: Orange County to give away 9,000 mosquito traps to help zap growing numbers since Hurricane Ian Standing water from Hurricane Ian is causing a big jump in the number of mosquitoes buzzing around Central Florida. (George Waldenberger, WFTV.com)

Saltwater and freshwater fishing in Florida has an economic impact of around $13.8 billion, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Time will tell how this affects our greater economy, because changes in the fishing industry and tourism will come from changes in our underwater world,” Johnson said.

Read: Over $1 billion in federal funding put towards Hurricane Ian recovery

The marine researchers on the cruise found high counts of the naturally-occurring algae that cause red tide offshore Punta Gorda, Boca Grande and southwest of Sanibel Island. It will be several weeks before researchers can analyze water samples that were collected to determine the threat to sea life off the Florida coast.

The red tide outbreak also is threatening manatees off Sarasota and Charlotte counties that rely on seagrass for food, according to the Ocean Conservancy.

Read: Hurricane Ian’s damage to Florida agriculture as high as $1.8 billion

“Florida is at a crossroads, with a record number of manatees dying,” said J.P. Brooker, director of Florida conservation for the Ocean Conservancy. “We must keep this issue at the forefront, so leaders statewide will invest in solutions to improve water quality—protecting natural habitats to save our beloved manatees.”

Health officials warn of increase in flesh-eating bacteria cases following Ian (WFTV)

Through mid-October, there have been 719 manatee deaths recorded by Florida wildlife officials. There were 982 manatee deaths last year.

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