Pete Quasius
President, Audubon of Southwest Florida
Local fishing guide

As the upper estuary has been impacted by water releases, the whole ecosystem in that area has collapsed. Thousands of acres of seagrass are barren. There are mud flats where there used to be lush marshes of seagrasses. Marine life has died or departed. Without food, the birds move on. Pete says we’re losing successive generations of marine life. This is where the long-term damage happens.

"Until we find another place for the water of Lake Okeechobee to go, there’s very little hope of recovery," he says. “There’s a bunch of powerful forces at play in this issue, and those at the bottom are the lowly birds, manatees and fish. The only shared adversity is with the estuary. It’s been taking it on the chin."

Pete sees our way of life under threat. He calls the Caloosahatchee an “ecological treasure" that has died in some places. “It’s criminal,” he says. Ten years ago, he purchased property on the river so he could fish. For years, the fish were so plentiful, he didn’t even have to leave his dock to catch something.

Those days are gone. Freshwater releases from Lake Okeechobee have altered the salinity levels and water clarity needed for seagrasses to thrive. As the seagrasses go, so goes the marine life that depends on them.

"Essentially, I’m out of business," says Pete about his work as a fishing guide. "I have nothing to offer those who call me for a fishing trip.” And others in the area who depended on crabbing and mullet harvesting also are out of business or have moved to areas not yet impacted by poor water quality.

The bottom line to Pete is too much water coupled with pollution, which he views as everyone’s responsibility. "We need policy changes,” he says. And he urges everyone to take a stand and assume responsibility for the plight of us all.