The growing Algae Bloom about 80 miles of the Coast of Fort Myers, FL is producing an environmental problem of epic proportions. The algae bloom is where the red tide comes from which kills aquatic life, poisons ocean mammals and shellfish. This is particularly alarming because of the problems to the food chain. Humans eat many of these fish and so do our mammal sea life friends. The Red Tide contains a neurotoxin, which is quite serious. When Hurricanes come thru they do reduce the algae bloom by diluting it but in doing so they often can spread it around. Now it affects a huge area, which has poisoned sea life from Pensacola to the Florida Keys, making fish caught undesirable to eat.

I propose coating Cruise ships which travel near the algae bloom or thru it with an environmentally engineered algae bloom-eating bacteria. I further propose that they release large spongy material, which has timed released anti-algae bloom eating material. It is a shame to see our Gulf of Mexico in such disrepair with such large dead zone regions after we allowed nitrogen and fertilizers to run-off into the coastal waters causing this algae bloom. We also inadvertently pump out millions of tons of sludge, sewage and chemicals into our oceans each year. Since we have caught cruise lines dumping non-potable water and sewer water into the ocean, surely they can assist us in cleaning up the algae bloom. We simply give them the materials to throw out when they cruise thru them? We have modern coatings and environmental dispensers, which can do this and we can have the cruise ships become our delivery mechanism to help eat the algae bloom down to a manageable level.

I further propose that the Cruise Lines stop near the algae bloom and allow our researchers and scientists to launch Underwater Autonomous Vehicles (AUVs) to clean the algae bloom by delivering encapsulated timed release bio-remediation materials; we may find that we can clean the large volume of water very quickly. We would have to set up the AUVs in an underwater grid pattern and they could run on Solar Power and Electricity or Hydrogen Cell Hybrid Systems.

In trade for the assistance we should allow free dumping of the sewage from the cruise ships into POTW in Florida and remove the taxes on their fuel purchases, which go to State and Federal Agencies. Economically speaking we will get our money back by increased fishing, lower health care costs and increased tourism that the Red Tide drives away. You see, timed released biological and environmental remediation is nothing new, many environmental engineers use this to help reduce large algae blooms which threaten drinking water supplies, affect water quality or are a danger to sea life. Think on this idea.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/