Fishermen express concerns over dying sea grass around Lake Okeechobee

Neighbors who depend on Lake Okeechobee for resources are finding it more and more difficult to do so.

Sea grass is dying off quickly and causing problems within the Lake O system.

“What are kids in the future going to see? Are they going to have a Lake Okeechobee to fish on? I don’t know,” said visitor Robert McMillan Jr.

McMillan Jr. comes to the lake every month to bass fish, but each trip he’s catching less than he used to.

“Bass like cover. They like stuff to hide under, around, get around and come in when you come in here and you see this dead area. Bass aren’t going to hang out where this muck is now. They’re going to move because they want a good clean bottom and this is kind of what you get now,” McMillan Jr. said.

Other fishermen on Lake O say the dying sea grass is not only impacting the fish, but also the overall health of the lake.

“Tremendous amount of our fish vegetation is gone. The lake has changed. It changes weekly, monthly,” said visitor Robert McMillan, who fishes with his son.

“Two years ago everything you see was all thick brush like that. Now as you see it’s all dead in open bay of water,” McMillan Jr. added.

The dying sea grass acts like a filter for the lake water, so having less of it also impacts the water that makes its way down to SWFL beaches during the Lake O releases.

Many fishermen blame the decreased sea grass on pesticides.

“It’s all about money. It’s all about money for the spray corporations….when it comes right down to it, they’re spraying. We’ve seen I think three, four or five air boats a day spray and they’re spraying nothing but lilly pads,” McMillan Jr. said.

The dead sea grass and recent algae blooms are both unhealthy signs of the lake. Many are hoping for ways to get it all cleaned up soon.