Scientists Investigate Dark Coastal Waters of Southwest Florida

NASA showed this March 21, 2002 Goddard Space Flight Center SeaWiFS image captioned, "Mysterious black water blankets Florida Bay." The dark water between Naples and the Florida Keys was first reported by fishermen and pilots back in January. By the middleof March, the dark waters had spread to an estimated 100 miles and scientists began to take and analyze water samples. Satellite image courtesy NASA.

April 1, 2002 Marathon, Florida - Fishermen who have spent their lives catching marine life in the waters between Naples and the Florida Keys began calling news media in January to report massive areas of water so dark and dense it was eerie and many said they had never seen anything like it before. By the middle of March, NASA satellite images clearly showed dark waters that at one point spanned an estimated 100 miles. Fishermen also noted that dead plants from the ocean floor seemed to rise up and follow the movement of the dark water through Florida Bay and the Keys. Fish seemed to turn away from the dark currents and eventually scientists discovered that coral and sponges had died or were dying in certain channels where the dark waters had been.

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