08 Dec What’s Going On in Munyon Cove?
by Tom Twyford, West Palm Beach Fishing Club President
Numerous WPBFC angling records have been set along its mangrove shoreline; it’s a favorite haunt for schools of pilchards, pinfish and mullet; light-tackle enthusiasts catch jack crevalle, snook and an occasional redfish, bonefish or trout there; wading birds, manatees and juvenile green sea turtles are a frequent sight; and it is home to protected species of sea grass…The place being described is Munyon Cove. This biologically diverse area is situated just south of MacArthur Beach State Park between A1A on Singer Island and Little Munyon Island. It is one of the the most ecologically important portions of the Lake Worth Lagoon. While not as pristine as it once was, this spot still remains a reminder of what a healthy estuary is supposed to look like.
Cause for Concern
Threats to Munyon Cove have been lingering just below the surface for years. Much of the bottom is privately owned. Approximately two dozen individuals or entities own the long slivers of submerged lands. Some of these parcels have been owned for a generation or more by local families. Others, more recently, have been purchased by speculators hoping to turn a profit from controversial development proposals. Some of these proposals have included marinas, luxury waterfront homes and condos, and even a floating home community. Are these proposals realistic? Or are they simply being used to create strategic leverage to inflate the value of the submerged lands? It is hard to know at this juncture.
This is Not the 1950s
Dredge and fill projects were once common in the lagoon, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. But over time tightened environmental laws, regulations and zoning restrictions have prevented many of these operations to continue. The protections have been enough to prevent the degradation of places like Munyon Cove. Additionally, the long slender parcels with little to no upland area do not lend themselves to development. However, these protective road blocks are being aggressively tested like never before. Some land owners have attempted to challenge the requirement of environmental review by trying to resurrect a nearly century old state policy. So far no one is buying it. Allowing this to occur would open the door for other owners of submerged lands to do the same in environmentally sensitive waters throughout the state. The West Palm Beach Fishing Club (WPBFC) has commented on past proposals, raising concerns about the environmental implications and far reaching precedent they would set. Other groups like Sustainable Palm Beach County, The Everglades Law Center and Lake Worth Waterkeeper are raising awareness, voicing concern and making sure decisions makers are held accountable for a thorough environmental review. There is no question municipal and county leaders, the county’s Property Appraiser’s Office and agencies like the Department of Environmental Protection and The Army Corps of Engineers are being tested. They need to hold the line.
Why the Cove is Important
Munyon Cove has been the focus of many ongoing studies related to water quality, estuarine habitat and fisheries monitoring. One example is Lake Worth Waterkeeper’s regular enterococcus bacteria sampling, which clearly demonstrate that areas like the cove offer the best protection against bacteria blooms. This is because enterococcus bacteria respond to nutrient pollution, and areas like the cove offer a decent amount of habitat that competes with the bacteria for the same nutrient pollution. In other words, these habitats help prevent bacteria blooms and public health problems by cleaning the nutrient pollution out of the water, outcompeting the bacteria. Another notable example, during the first quarter last year FWC staff conducted a fisheries sample in the central and northern lagoon, 14 restoration sites in the central and 21 in the northern area (the cove mostly) where 56 bonefish were caught. Other species such as snook, permit, mutton snapper and flounder have been caught during the FWC’s independent fisheries monitoring efforts. These and other species frequently encountered in the northern lagoon depend upon a healthy estuary during the early stages of their life cycle. Simply put, the habitat in Munyon Cove is a critical nursery area for many species of fish.
Protecting the Public’s Investment
Tens of millions of tax payer dollars have been spent on restoration and enhancement projects in the Lake Worth Lagoon, all designed to improve habitat and water quality. In the late 1990s the restoration of nearby Big Munyon Island set the pace for numerous other environmental enhancement projects including Snook Islands, John’s Island, Ibis Island, Grassy Flats and South Cove. The return on investment has been tremendous. The success of these projects has made Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) a recognized leader in the restoration of wetlands and upland habitats. For decades the WPBFC has partnered with DERM and other agencies on these enhancement efforts in the lagoon. In 2020 the WPBFC was actively involved in building oyster reefs at MacArthur Beach State Park, not very far from the submerged lands being discussed. Protecting Munyon Cove will protect the significant public investment that has been made in the lagoon.
Seeking a Solution
The uncertainty surrounding these submerged lands has lingered far too long. There are a variety of ways this issue can be resolved. Property owners can simply sell their submerged land to the state, county or a conservation entity. However, this requires ‘a willing seller’ and an agreed upon selling price. Determining a reasonable valuation of the land is tricky, but it can be done. Owners have presumably been paying property taxes on their land so it is not unreasonable for them to expect some return on their investment. Another option is for land owners to simply donate their property to the state or some conservation oriented entity, which may provide tax benefits to altruistic donors. In fact, this has already happened in one case. That particular piece of property became a conservation easement along Munyon Cove’s southern border. Perhaps others will follow this lead. The WPBFC hopes that a fair and equitable resolution between all the property owners and government agencies and/or other groups can be brokered so that this environmentally critical portion of the Lake Worth Lagoon is finally protected in perpetuity. The fish and wildlife that depend on a healthy estuary deserve no less.