Table 21. Excerpts of the anecdotal and historical chronology of events that affected the marine 
environment of the Florida Keys from 1714 to the present prepared by The Nature Conservancy 
(text as found in draft document except for minor editing) [DeMaria (in press)] (cont.). 
Year(s) 
Event 
1991-1992 
Algae bloom in the water column at Tortugas (see 1985). 
Summer, large amounts of sargassum wash up on gulf coast shores. 
Brown macroalgae bloom observed near Tortugas Hump. 
Algae blooms in western Florida Bay become dominated by microalgae blooms. 
December, algae bloom off Long Key Lab exists for four days along the 
shoreline. All sponge harvesting is stopped in Biscayne National Park. 
Cyanobacteria algae bloom spreads throughout Florida Bay. Sponge dieoff is 
documented. Juvenile lobster abundance subsequently declines by more than 
30%. 
1991, 1992 
Good bait shrimp catches off Lower Matecumbe Key near the location of the 
algal bloom in Florida Bay. 
Summer, water "inversion" off the middle Keys out to Alligator Reef. Hot salty 
water on the bottom. White hydrogen sulfide type bubbles coming up from the 
reef. Dead fish and gorgonians observed. 
1992 
Dry Tortugas is declared a national park. 
February and March, very high tides and very low tides observed. 
May, barrel sponges observed dying on the reef off Marathon. 
May, sponge mortality in Florida Bay noted. 
Between July and September, extensive sponge mortality noted in Florida Bay. 
July, salinity levels in Florida Bay fall below sea water levels. 
August, Hurricane Andrew hits Homestead and moves west across the 
Everglades, killing mangroves and causing excess detritus to be flushed into the 
water. 
December, sponge die-off observed on the east side of Big Pine Key. 
December, algae bloom off Long Key Lab lasts for sixteen days along the 
shoreline. 
Visibility at Schooner Bank declines. 
Massive macroalgae bloom in western Florida Bay. Clogs strainers and intakes 
on boats. 
In Card Sound, a white fungus is observed growing on seagrass beds. 
Extensive sponge mortality noted between July and September in Florida Bay. 
Black band disease is observed near Jewfish Basin, north of Boca Chica Key. 
Last Marathon shrimp boat sold. Only a couple of shrimp boats still exist in 
Stock Island and Key West. 
Increase in decorator crabs observed on the bayside of Lower Matecumbe Key 
in the nearshore, shallow waters. 
Sea lice abundant. 
1992-1993 
"Tremendous amount" of moon lilies observed in Florida say and Boot Key 
Harbor. 
1993 
Winter, cannonball jellyfish observed off Key West and Marathon. 
Best bait shrimp catches are out of Card and Barnes Sound. 
From November to January, a sponge die-off is observed five miles north of 
Grassy Key. 
Winter, pea green algae bloom is observed as having crossed into the ocean. 
South Florida Water Management District increases water flow into Taylor 
Slough to a natural sheet flow. 
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