The Associated Press November 3rd 2003

KEY WEST, Fla. --
 Scientists plan to test samples taken from a mysterious patch of
discolored water off the Marquesas Keys that could be a resurgence of "black water" that affected southwest Florida into last year.
Fishermen described the patch as milky, mustard or black, in an area between the Marquesas and the Dry Tortugas.

Most fish seem to avoid the area, and ones that are seen in the patch aren't biting or putting up much of a fight when hooked, fishermen said.  Researchers are monitoring the water using satellites and have ordered testing of the water, slated to begin next week. Fishermen have been given test kits to gather samples and help with the study.
The plankton and algal blooms in the water appear five times less concentrated as the "black water" that first appeared in late 2001 off southwest Florida, said Chuanmin Hu, an oceanographer with the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science.
The black water tested in 2002 showed a high abundance of nontoxic microscopic plants and was blamed on a large, nutrient-rich patch of runoff combined with a severe outbreak of red tide.
 "It's pretty much similar, but to a less extent. It's not as dark as the 2002 black water," said Hu, who has been tracking red tide and other algal blooms in the area. Some sections of the mysterious water span nearly 20 miles, Hu said.
 He traces the mysterious water to Charlotte Harbor, 175 miles north of theKeys.
The Peace River dumps into the harbor there, after flowing through several farming communities that have nutrient rich runoff water spilling into the waterway.
Satellite images show several large algal blooms spanning from Charlotte Harbor to the Dry Tortugas, Hu said.

Information from: Key West Citizen,
Last modified: November 03. 2003 4:58AM