Barge that washed ashore could impact already fragile ecosystem – WPEC

Barge that washed ashore could impact already fragile ecosystem

New documents exclusively obtained by CBS12 show a barge that washed ashore on Singer Island last April damaged a reef.

Theres trouble under the waters near Singer Island after a barge washed ashore last April.

Floridas Department of Environmental Protection released images showing abrasions, damage and injured areas on the nearshore reef.

The damaged area is approximately 5.2 square meters according to an assessment survey prepared for the state.

Sky Team 12 shot exclusive video of the 144-foot Baymaster grounded after it broke free from a tug boat in rough seas near the Lake Worth inlet on April 20th.

Ed Tichenor with Palm Beach County Reef Rescue says the damage could impact the already fragile ecosystem. When you lose that, you lose a food source for turtle, he said. Theres a resident population of green sea turtles that depend on this near shore hard bottom as a food source.

A spokesperson tells CBS12 that DEP is now evaluating the information collected to determine if the grounding violated any laws or regulations.

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Barge that washed ashore could impact already fragile ecosystem - WPEC

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