Manatee deaths up at Chiquita Lock
A growing number of protected marine animals are being killed by continued operation of a water control structure in Cape Coral whose removal has been opposed by some environmentalists.
Another manatee death was recorded at the Chiquita Lock on June 7 when another of the air-breathing water mammals got stuck in the device and drowned, causing a shutdown of the boat traffic device for hours.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, this was the eighth manatee mortality caused by the lock since 2005 and the fourth in less than a calendar year.
FWC spokesperson Carly Jones said the commission had reached out to the city last year in hopes to deter these situations from occurring.
“FWC staff met with the City of Cape Coral in the fall of 2021 and discussed options moving forward to minimize manatee mortalities at the Chiquita Lock including removal of the lock, discontinuing operation of the lock while keeping the lock doors open or installing a manatee protection system on the lock,” Jones said in an email.
All of the manatee mortalities caused by the Chiquita Lock fall under the same category: getting stuck in the flood gate and lock. The first manatee death took place in September of 2005, the second in February of 2009, the third in November of 2012, and fourth in June of 2018.
More recently, the number of manatees getting caught in the lock has increased, possibly due to the greater number of manatees being found in the wild, as in 2017, FWC (amidst controversy), downlisted the manatee from endangered to threatened.
On two consecutive days in June of 2021, a pair of manatees died at the lock on June 29 and 30. On April 12 of this year, another manatee died at the lock, with the most recent death being June 7.
If the city had its way, the lock, located in the South Spreader near Cape Harbour, would have been removed long ago.
It has been documented since 2016 that the city of Cape Coral wants the lock removed, but water quality concerns from others and related legal action have prevented its removal.
“The Chiquita Lock is an aged infrastructure that impedes public safety and endangers wildlife and does not provide the environmental benefits it originally intended to,” said city spokesperson Melissa Mickey in an email.
She added the city is doing what it can to mitigate marine life injuries with the lock still in place.
“The city installed a surveillance camera system to monitor boating and wildlife activities through the lock,” Mickey said. “The lock operators are logging wildlife sightings. The city is in the process of installing a permitted, interim manatee deterrent. However, the best outcome to prevent further wildlife casualties is to remove the Chiquita lock structure as soon as possible.”
Jones said not all structures or locks present a higher threat to marine life.
“Not all locks or water-control structures pose a greater risk to manatees, but those that are located on waters frequently traveled by manatees can pose a greater risk,” Jones said. “If navigational locks are operational, and known to be a risk to manatees, then the most effective way to reduce this risk is to install a manatee protection system.”
In March of 2020, The Florida Department of Environmental Protection upheld the decision made by an administrative law judge in December of 2019 to deny the issuance of a permit to remove the lock. Judge Francine Ffolkes had found that “the petitioners (those opposed to the lock’s removal) met their ultimate burden of persuasion to prove that the project does not comply with all applicable permitting criteria, particularly compliance with state surface water quality standards.”
The city continues to maintain, as it did in October 2016 when it sought state permitting to remove the structure, that the lock presents a safety hazard to boaters and that its removal will not degrade water quality. The device was built during the city’s initial growth to protect the outer waters of Charlotte Harbor, but is now considered by city leaders to have outlived its usefulness.
The DEP initially agreed and announced its intent to grant the permit to the city in November 2018.
A coalition that included the Matlacha Civic Association, two residents of Matlacha, one resident of St. James City and four residents of the city of Cape Coral filed suit, though, and successfully argued that removal of the structure would impact protected waters.
There is currently an appeal to DEP from the city which was submitted in September of 2021.
“The lock has outlived its intended purpose and serviceable life,” said City Manager Rob Hernandez. “Yes, it is frustrating that the permitting process is a lengthy one. However, we are working with FDEP to ensure they have all of the information they need in order to approve our permit request to allow us to continue our long-standing efforts to improve water quality and preserve wildlife in the South Spreader Waterway.”
Manatees in Southwest Florida waters and throughout the state died at an alarming rate last year and the trend is continuing. According to FWC, in 2021, a total of 1,101 manatees died, compared to 637 in 2020, and 607 in 2019.
As of June 17, 2022, a total of 600 manatees have died in Florida.
As of June 17, seven manatees have died in Lee County waters, including three in Cape Coral, according to FWC.
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To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com