Then-Pelee Island Mayor Rick Masse and Raj Gill with Canadian Freshwater Alliance checking a water sample. Aug. 25, 2015 (Photo by Kevin Black)Then-Pelee Island Mayor Rick Masse and Raj Gill with Canadian Freshwater Alliance checking a water sample. Aug. 25, 2015 (Photo by Kevin Black)
Chatham

Agencies Push For Algae Bloom Action

Algae blooms haven't had a significant impact on Pelee Island this year, but that doesn't mean the township's mayor does not want something done.

Rick Masse says a bloom last year cost his island's economy significantly.

"The board of health issued a water ban for our community and the tourism dried up," he says. "Over three days it cost our community $800,000 to $950,000"

Environmental Defence, Freshwater Canada, and the Freshwater Alliance organized a boat tour for media to see the algae bloom in Lake Erie. Nancy Goucher is the program manager at Environmental Defence and says there are things the provincial government can learn from their American counterparts.

"They've done a lot of research and a lot of monitoring. They have a lot of technical, scientific understanding of what best management practices work."

While the water near the harbour was mostly clear, boat captain John Sim says just a few days ago the slime was thick in the middle of the lake.

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