More than 100 young anglers cast their fishing lines into the waters throughout Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties last Saturday in an effort to protect the future of the Indian River Lagoon. The fishermen were participants in the second annual Lines in the Lagoon Tri-county Junior Fishing Tournament to benefit the Ocean Research Conservation Association, Environmental Learning Center and Coastal Conservation Association.
After a day spent catching, measuring and releasing their fish, they gathered on the grounds of the A. E. Backus Museum in Fort Pierce for a buffet by Chipotle Mexican Grill accompanied by music from the Killer Wails. Tournament awards, donated by the CCA, included fishing rods, equipment and the top prize, a coveted Go Pro camera.
“I got some snook, a barracuda, catfish and a ladyfish,” said Ella Minton, 12, who was hoping to win the camera. “I really like to fish and want to protect the lagoon, too.”
The event was conceptualized three years ago, when a group of friends went on a mother/son trip to the Florida Keys and began talking about volunteer projects, then considered a high school graduation requirement.
“It was Quinn’s [Hiaasen] birthday,” said Jennifer Croom whose son Steven is a founding member along with Tommy Hammond, Bryce Hauser, Bennett Collins, Barrett Rhymes, Michael Villafuerte and Hiaasen. “We sat around and said high school is coming up and you can either volunteer here or there or you can do something that matters to you.”
Croom said all the boys loved being out on the water, but that summer they had been frustrated by not being able to fish and swim in the lagoon due to toxic algae blooms and pollutants.
“The wakeboarder was told he couldn’t wakeboard in the lagoon, the fishing boys were told they had to stay out, and they were kind of mad about it since at that age that was all they did and cared about,” she added.
When the idea of raising funds through a fishing tournament came up, they called Edie Widder, CEO and senior scientist at ORCA, who gave them some advice. Funds donated to ORCA will be used for the Kilroy water monitoring program, which uses sophisticated water-monitoring devices to transmit information to researchers. The data is also available on the TeamORCA.org website and can be used by schools as educational materials in the classrooms.
“The Kilroys give us a tremendous amount of information,” said Widder. “The way to clean up the lagoon is to track pollution to its source, and one of the unique things about the Kilroys is that we are able to put them in the canals and tributaries which feed into the lagoon to track that needed information.”
“Quinn has always loved being on the water,” said his father Carl Hiaasen, author and Miami Herald columnist. “He’s a really good kid and I am proud of him for taking the initiative to help the river.”
“We have taught Quinn the conservation of fishing, not to just go out and take fish without caring about replenishment. They really are concerned for the future health of the lagoon,” agreed Quinn’s mother, Fenia Hiaasen.
Last year’s event raised approximately $21,000, and the goal was to increase that amount this year. Ultimately, the boys want to use their love of the lagoon to teach future generations how to protect it, raising awareness and funds through the junior tournament as a connection to other young people.
