Casino Point and invasive seaweed

[seansrs36]

I could not believe how bad the invasive seaweed is at the Point. It is causing viz to be horrible. I did three dives there this weekend, on the third dive we could not find the three wrecks that are on the outer part of the park. Dr. Bill even was explaining to us how bad it is in his opinion and the effects it is having on the Point. I wish DFG would allow for it to be removed.

 

[B.L. Justice]

Are you saying that it is protected? I haven't seen it in the last four or five months but it was very bad in a couple of spots last fall. How very sad. It is one of my favorite dive spots. Is there any reason why concerned divers couldn't just pull it out like weeds in the yard? Dr. Bill?????

 

[drbill]

I tried to get a permit to remove this non-native kelp (Sargassum filicinum) years ago when it first appeared at the park. Legally a diver can only remove 10 pounds of wet weight per day, and that requires a valid fishing license. A special permit to remove it would have taken about four months to get.

Removing the mature kelp can cause problems as spore release is apparently triggered by manual removal and even by mechanical disturbance from divers swimming through it or kicking on top of it. It should be captured in a large plastic trash bag pursed at the holdfast so as not to release any of the spores. Then you have the issue of where to dump it.

Even if EVERY adult kelp were removed, there are so many spores on the reef that they would grow back next season without any new spore fall. This kelp is found all along the leeward coast of the island, and new spores would be brought in from up-current locations.

The consensus among the experts is that removal is no longer a possibility. Time to move to the tropics for the winter and early spring, then come back when this annual alga dies off in late spring.

 

[fisheater]

DAMN that sucks!

 

[DESERT EEL]

Is it so bad that it will be hard to dive at the Casino Point area for the harbor clean up this Sat?

 

[ItsBruce]

I love how DFG has protected the oceans and coastline...even to the extent of protecting evasive species. I'll bet that if we had lion fish, DFG would protect them until they were the only fish left.

 

[ligersandtions]

Is it so bad that it will be hard to dive at the Casino Point area for the harbor clean up this Sat?

No, it doesn't really affect the visibility that much. Maybe that's coming from someone who's used to ~10' of visibility, but when we were there mid-January, visibility was still probably at least 40'.

The visibility will probably suck for the harbor clean up, but certainly not due to the invasive kelp...

 

[drbill]

When you ladies were here, the Sargassum probably wasn't releasing spores like it appears to be now. Of course I stayed high and dry that weekend. It definite;ly affects visibility during the latter part of its annual cycle when it is releasing spores and then when it is disintegrating (yeah!!!).

That shouldn't affect the diving inside the harbor itself as I don't think much of it is found there due to the soft bottom. If you're diving Casino Point afterwards it will certainly have an effect either due to its density or reduced visibility.

 

[robint]

wow, that really sucks.......

 

[drbill]

Spoke with Mayor and SCUBA Luv co-owner Bob Kennedy yesterday. He said the Sargassum filicinum has reached high densities everywhere on the leeward side of the island. It was already pretty bad two years ago when I was diving regularly on his boat (the King Neptune).

Having up-current sources of spores from infestations along the entire leeward coast is yet another reason why this obnoxious weed (= a plant out of place) will probably never be controlled.