Latest news with #BiscayneBay
CBS News
6 days ago
- Science
- CBS News
Increased shark sightings may scare swimmers, but scientists say that's good news for conservation
Great white shark sightings off the coast of Maine triggered warnings Wednesday for people to stay out of the water. Those sightings are not new in South Florida, but they do get a lot of attention. That's why CBS News Miami went out on the water to learn why we see sharks so often and what it means for our ecosystem. A shark reeled in miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale in May and just weeks later, a little girl was bitten off the Gulf Coast. Shark stories are everywhere. "The thing we like to say is that if you're in the water and it's salty, there's probably a shark nearby," said Catherine MacDonald, the director of the University of Miami's Shark Research and Conservation program. For MacDonald and her team, that's exactly what they are hoping for. This nurse shark was one of many they caught on their trip. "We take a few small tissue samples, blood samples and measurements that we use to study the health of sharks here," she said. Here in Biscayne Bay, it's a perfect place for researchers to monitor shark populations over the long term. In 2024 alone, UM's Shark Research and Conservation program reeled in and tagged over 550 sharks. The bay is perfect for these species to have and raise their young, but it's changing. "Because the estuary is warming 6.9 times faster than the ocean, there is reason to be concerned that, between human impact and warming, we may see this habitat become less good for them as time goes on," MacDonald. For Delaney Reynolds, preserving this habitat is a calling and has been a longtime goal of hers. "I went on my first shark tagging trip with the University of Miami in high school, and I knew the second I stepped on the boat that this was something I wanted to do," she said. Reynolds has been doing that for years now as a PhD student at UM. She is seeing how the changing water is affecting the sharks. From that first tagging trip to now this, Reynolds — now the teacher for current high school students — may be the future for these summer scholars taking part in their first shark tagging trip. "You get an adrenaline feeling when they come on board, you get those lines in and it's exciting," said UM summer scholar Sam Lambert. High school students come to South Florida from across the country to explore firsthand with the research team. "We don't have an ocean in Chicago — we have a lake," said Camila Johnson, another summer scholar. "I wanted to explore the exotic wildlife [and] learn more." Excitement was felt four times when three nurse sharks and a black tip shark were reeled in and tagged. "Every time we see a shark, it's not the summer scholars that are excited but my team as well," MacDonald said. So no matter what the species, the students and researchers like what they see today. Researchers told CBS News Miami that the number of sharks here is mostly stable, or even increasing slightly, which is good news for South Florida's environment. "Sharks being present in the ecosystem is a good sign for how well it is functioning and sharks being absent means there are more problems with the system itself, or it has become so damaged that sharks have moved," MacDonald said. A good sign so far, but something these current and potential future scientists will continue to monitor.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$50 million ‘flood proof bunker' rises on Biscayne Bay. Is mansion a model for the future?
A private, three-hole golf course, an elevated infinity pool which alone costs $1 million and air-conditioned living space encompassing 26,000 square feet – more than ten times the size of the average, single-family home: The extravagant $50 million 'G House' is 'one of the largest, new construction waterfront homes in Miami Dade — if not the largest,' according to its developer. But G House isn't clustered among the typical billionaire mega mansions of Star Island or Indian Creek. It's rising in suburban Palmetto Bay, on a waterfront plot along south Biscayne Bay considered so vulnerable to flooding and hurricane-induced storm surge that the village government would rather no one build there. But developer Manny Angelo Varas, owner and CEO of MV Group USA, is confident that once G House is completed, it'll be a 'totally flood-proof bunker.' It's designed, he said, to survive both Cat 5 winds and once-a-century floods. At G House, about 30 stairway steps (or a quick ride in a glass elevator) take you to the required main floor elevation of 17 feet, the minimum height set by federal and local regulations for this coastal swath of southern Miami-Dade County. That places the ultra-luxury mansion just 0.1 feet above the highest storm surge ever recorded in the county – right in this location – when Hurricane Andrew swept barracudas and other assorted fish into second floors, filled bedroom closets with crabs, and lobbed a 105-foot steel research vessel onto a private estate. In the 33 years since, growing fossil fuel emissions have continued to warm the planet, threatening ever more homes and lives in Florida, the state already most at risk of climate change. Storms are hitting harder, flooding is becoming part of life here. Regulators now categorize the south Biscayne Bay coast as having a one-in-four chance of flooding from a storm surge within 30 years. Not building in harm's way is one way to go about reducing flood risks. But Varas says working with ultra-wealthy clients – Jennifer Lopez, the rappers Lil Wayne and Rick Ross and the parents of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos are among those he names – gives him a generous budget to be 'two steps ahead' of South Florida's climate threats. 'I'm here saying there's a lot of things that can be done about it, and it takes everyone working together,' he said, walking past peacocks perched around the sprawling construction site. Eventually, he said, the less economically privileged might be able to adapt with similar innovations and standards, beginning with seeing the landscape — both natural and engineered — as part of the solution to the rising threats of flood in South Florida low-lying coastal zones. Because the G House project, visible to commuters off Old Cutler Road, sits in what's classified as a Coastal High Hazard Area, it had to be built much like new construction in the Florida Keys — literally high atop heavy pilings. But most of Varas' billionaire clients find the stilt house look unappealing, so the uninsurable ground floor is wrapped with what are known as 'breakaway walls.' They're designed to give into pressure from a storm surge that can then flow through and around the pilings without sweeping the house away. Many high-end Keys homes also use similar designs. To deal with extreme wind exposure, most of the other walls were built on-site, using liquid concrete that was poured into forms. Typically used for commercial construction, it's more expensive, but more wind-resistant than the pre-fabricated concrete blocks laid with mortar used in most South Florida home projects. Steel tendons that are pulled taut to further compress and harden the dried concrete allowed for the outdoor space to be shaded by 30-feet long overhangs. That allowed the architects of Studio Khora, a firm with offices in Miami and other South Florida cities, to design without columns that would disrupt the view of Biscayne Bay, glittering just beyond the infinity pool. Building for climate change includes an expansive landscaping plan. For storm surge and rising waters from Biscayne Bay, the dense roots and tangled canopies of roughly 20,000 square feet of mangroves will reduce the height and energy of surges. And for heavy rains, the little peaks and valleys of the three-hole golf course will not only provide challenges to players, but also are designed to help retain and absorb flooding. That $50 million figure includes not just the mansion but the land and all the surrounding accouterments. Spending that much wasn't necessary, of course, and Varas concedes some of the features could have been downgraded. Instead of turning seven surrounding acres into a private golf course, for example, a run-of-the-mill, subsurface stormwater tank would have sufficed to meet stipulations that new developments cannot intensify flooding on neighboring properties. But the fairways add to the aesthetics, he said, as does an 80-feet long water feature that cascades down the breakaway walls into a succession of three ponds in front of the entrance. The nearly 17-foot-high wall 'that could be assumed as an eyesore is really part of the beauty of it.' Varas said he enjoys the challenge of adding features that are flood and hurricane-proof and, at the same time, aesthetically pleasing. Most of his clients, however, don't even think about the risks of living on the coast until he brings it up. What convinces them to make the investment, he said, is that it simply pays off. 'Create sustainable items, but don't look at them as just sustainable. Look at them as the added value that you're creating,' he said. 'That's going to increase the property value while protecting you against a 100-year storm.' One example he uses when he speaks to his clients is Casa Costanera, a new development in Coconut Grove he initially intended as his own family residence. One of Cocoplum's first waterfront homes with a private, 130-feet sea wall and other features that made it more flood and hurricane resistant, it sold for $2,500 a square foot in 2021, more than double the average price at the time. Similarly, when MV Group was contracted to refurbish a $15-million property in Coral Gables' Journey's End neighborhood, the owners later sold it to Jeff Bezos' parents for $44 million, making a profit of almost $20 million, he said. 'It's not a cost, it's a financial decision,' he said. He obviously made a similar case to the owners of G House, Rene Gonzales, according to property records. Varas would only say that Gonzales — the G in G House — was an entrepreneur who did not want to speak publicly about the house and 'wants to keep a low- profile.' Varas believes that high-end homes like G House can show how to win a 'game of chess' against climate change. He says he has used the big budgets to create innovative designs and help push through adaptations to building codes 'to then create maybe new standards that would trickle down and make the average home — the non-billionaire home — safer as well.' For G House, his vision was to 'really create a benchmark for the city.' He hopes Palmetto Bay can point to the mansion and say 'this is who we are.' While Palmetto Bay's building department does view G House as an example of a flood-proof home, the village wonders whether it could be a blueprint for other community members. 'I don't know how many people can afford that,' the village's building official, Dean Klements, said. And while village manager Nick Marano said he has no professional opinion on whether G House was good or bad, Palmetto Bay's government 'wouldn't want to show that off to anyone as something like we think this is great.' Instead of building right on the coast, Marano said, the village is trying to preserve land to help protect against flooding. 'The village is very, very much aware of our vulnerability to storms, especially something as significant as Andrew or even Irma, and we're taking active steps to mitigate against that,' he said. Palmetto Bay's new resilience action plan, approved unanimously earlier this week, seeks to not having new development or increasing population density and to look into policies and incentives that will 'guide new development away from at risk areas', which includes all properties right along the coast. Not developing in highest-risk areas is the safest option. Yet since Hurricane Andrew, Miami Dade's population has exploded by 40 percent. More real estate has been built in harm's way, with some of the most expensive developments located in the most exposed areas. That would be much of the region's waterfront real estate. If Hurricane Andrew were to strike the same path today, the losses would be nearly three times higher than in 1992, according to an analysis by Swiss Re, one of the world's leading reinsurance companies. But G House is just one example in Palmetto Bay of how hard it is to discourage development in coastal areas that buyers still find alluring. Last month, the village had to agree to a new mall, about 450 new housing units, a 5-story fitness center, and a hotel with 120 rooms. The project is intended to go up at the former Burger King headquarters, which also was ravaged by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The village originally opposed the development, but was forced to settle when the Atlanta-based investment firm that owns the land filed a claim seeking $15 million under the Bert Harris Act, which protects land owners from actions that would devalue or limit their vested rights. As part of the settlement, however, 35 acres will be preserved as green space. Thirteen of those, including mangroves, Marano said, 'are directly fronting on the bay, so that's certainly going to help with storm resiliency.' The other 22 acres are along Old Cutler Road, which will help alleviate flooding from rains. Public officials and developers might not always agree on how to handle the growing threats of climate change, but in the end, they're trying to answer the same question. 'If you live in Florida, it's inevitable that a storm is going to hit you,' Varas said. 'The question is: how are you prepared for it?' This climate report is funded by Florida International University, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the David and Christina Martin Family Foundation in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald retains editorial control of all content.
CBS News
29-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
5 people rescued by good Samaritan after boat catches fire in Biscayne Bay, U.S. Coast Guard says
Five people were rescued by a good Samaritan after their boat caught on fire in Biscayne Bay on Sunday morning, authorities said. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, multiple agencies — including personnel from their Miami Beach station, Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue — responded around 10 a.m. to the boat fire about eight miles off the coast of Key Biscayne near Elliott Key. The USCG shared on X that five boaters were rescued from the burning vessel by a good Samaritan and brought to shore in "good health." #Breaking @USCG Station Miami Beach, @MiamiDade_SO & @MiamiDadeFire crews responded to a boat fire 8 mi. off Key Biscayne Sun. at 10 a.m. 5 boaters were rescued by a good Sam & brought to shore in good health. The owner used his registered EPIRB to get help. The fire is out. #SAR — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) June 29, 2025 According to the USCG, the boat's owner used his registered Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) to call for help. The fire has since been put out, but the cause and circumstances surrounding it remain under investigation.
New York Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Florida Approves Plan to Help Billionaires Export Their Sewage
The News Indian Creek Village, the island community that is home to Jeff Bezos and several other billionaires, has faced strong pushback in its quest to discharge its sewage through the neighboring town of Surfside. But Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has now signed legislation that will prevent Surfside from intervening. Background: A $10 million dispute Like other communities in South Florida, Indian Creek Village has been under pressure for decades to eliminate shallow septic systems that have been leaking waste into the delicate ecosystem of Biscayne Bay. The village comprises only a few dozen properties on a private, man-made island where a vacant lot recently sold for $110 million. Mr. Bezos has properties on the island. Down the street is the retired N.F.L. superstar Tom Brady. A little farther is President Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, who now sits on Indian Creek's village council. But when Indian Creek Village proposed to send its waste through the pipes of the neighboring town Surfside, officials there proposed that Indian Creek Village pay $10 million to help cover the historical cost of the system. Indian Creek Village balked and, The New York Times found, worked behind the scenes to persuade state officials to fix the problem. The solution came in the form of wording inserted deep into the text of a bill dedicated to the Florida Department of Transportation. Under the rules, municipalities cannot prohibit or require a permit for certain sewer projects. The Indian Creek plan fits the definition. Both houses of the state Legislature had approved the measure, and on Friday, the state's official legislative docket indicated that Mr. DeSantis had signed it. The governor's office and Mr. Kushner have not responded to requests for comment. What Happens Next Indian Creek Village's current plan is not to connect to Surfside's lines but to send a pipe under a Surfside street, traveling half a mile to connect to a line owned by the town of Bay Harbor Islands. Stephen J. Helfman, Indian Creek's village attorney, said on Friday that preliminary work to test and prepare for the eventual connection would begin in the next month. Surfside's mayor, Charles Burkett, who had initially requested the $10 million, has said that the legislative backdoor was 'creative' but that he wants to be a good neighbor to Indian Creek Village. 'We look forward to working with Indian Creek to help them accomplish their goals with as little impact to our residents as possible,' Mr. Burkett said on Friday. Quotable Quote Paul Novack, a former Surfside mayor, said he found it troubling that the legislation passed with so much secrecy — no outreach from the Legislature or broader public discussion about it. He said Indian Creek Village should have negotiated with Surfside to pay an appropriate fee for the sewer connection, rather than going to the State Capitol for help. 'Florida's government is frequently manipulated by special interests,' Mr. Novack said. 'It's not surprising. This is just another day in Tallahassee.'
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
How Miami's Waters Are A Lifeline For Hammerheads
An eight-year study highlights Biscayne Bay as a vital nursery and seasonal refuge for great ... More hammerhead sharks, underscoring its importance across life stages and for long-term shark conservation. In the warm, shallow waters just off the city of Miami, is a haven for one of the ocean's most iconic yet critically endangered marine predators. Hidden beneath the skyline, among seagrass beds and mangrove shorelines, Biscayne Bay serves as a sort of 'cradle' for the great hammerhead shark, a new study from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science confirms. It turns out that juvenile great hammerheads, during their most vulnerable years, rely heavily on the bay as a nursery habitat. The great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) is the largest species of hammerhead, easily recognized by its wide, T-shaped head and tall, curved dorsal fin. Reaching lengths of up to 20 feet (6 meters), these sharks are found in warm, coastal waters around the world. Their unique head shape enhances their ability to detect prey, especially stingrays buried in the sand, and plays a crucial role in their hunting strategy. Despite their formidable size and hunting abilities, great hammerheads are critically endangered due to overfishing, habitat loss, and their sensitivity to capture stress. They often fall victim to bycatch in commercial fisheries and are targeted for their fins. Unlike other sharks that roam vast distances, great hammerheads display strong site fidelity to certain coastal habitats, particularly during juvenile stages. Researchers examined the feeding and habitat patterns of 62 great hammerhead sharks sampled between 2018 and 2025. Using multi-tissue stable isotope analysis (a non-lethal technique that measures the chemical 'fingerprints' left by food sources in muscle and blood plasma) the team tracked both the recent and long-term dietary habits of these animals, allowing them to understand how hammerheads use Biscayne Bay across different life stages. What they found was striking. 'Juvenile great hammerheads show a constrained diet and habitat use, potentially feeding heavily on ... More small inshore stingrays early in life,' said Catherine Macdonald, a research associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, and the director of the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the Rosenstiel School. 'This reliance on a narrow range of prey and habitats makes juvenile great hammerheads particularly vulnerable to human activity and environmental change.' For their first two years of life, these young sharks depend almost entirely on the bay's inshore habitats and prey. After that, they begin venturing to coastal reefs, but they still return to the bay seasonally, usually between late spring and early summer. Some adult sharks even continue to forage in the area, showing that the bay isn't just important early on but significant throughout their entire lives. Located in one of the most densely populated parts of Florida, Biscayne Bay has been under pressure for decades. Declining water quality, reduced freshwater inflow, and widespread physical degradation — driven by local rapid urban growth — have vastly changed the ecosystem. What was once a pristine estuary has become a hotspot for pollution, habitat loss, and stress. These changes affect all marine life in the bay, but for the young great hammerheads, they may be especially devastating. 'Juvenile great hammerheads show a constrained diet and habitat use, potentially feeding heavily on small inshore stingrays early in life,' said Dr. Catherine Macdonald, a research associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, and the director of the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the Rosenstiel School. 'This reliance on a narrow range of prey and habitats makes juvenile great hammerheads particularly vulnerable to human activity and environmental change.' Their limited diet and strong preference for nearshore habitats means they have fewer options if conditions deteriorate or if fishing pressure increases. And fishing pressure is a real concern, since Miami is a major destination for recreational fishing, and great hammerheads are often caught unintentionally. The species is known to be extremely sensitive to capture stress, to that point that even when released, many individuals don't survive. 'Reducing interactions with these sharks — particularly avoiding catch-and-release fishing in key nursery areas — can dramatically improve survival for this endangered species,' said researcher John Hlavin, the lead author of the study and a doctoral student in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the Rosenstiel School. 'If a shark is accidentally caught, the best action is a quick, in-water release, without photographs that delay the release process.' Every second the shark is out of the water decreases its odds of survival. That's why responsible fishing is critical, Hlavin continues, especially between March and July, when both juveniles and subadults are present in the bay. Avoiding catch-and-release in known nursery areas could greatly reduce mortality for this species. The results of the study also offer valuable information for policy makers and conservationists. Stable isotope analysis revealed how tightly tied these sharks are to the bay's resources, particularly in their early life. This kind of data can be used to create spatial protections, seasonal fishing restrictions, or habitat restoration initiatives. For example, if we know juvenile hammerheads are concentrated in specific parts of Biscayne Bay in certain months, those areas can be prioritized for protection or restricted from fishing during key periods. While protecting open-ocean shark populations is challenging due to their wide-ranging nature, preserving nursery habitats like Biscayne Bay is a tangible, localized way to make a big difference. Biscayne Bay may lie in the shadow of Miami's skyscrapers, but it's also at the heart of this species' survival. It's here, in the shallows, where these young sharks take their first bites. It's here where they learn to hunt, and where they face some of their greatest risks. The future of great hammerhead sharks may depend not just on what happens out in the deep ocean… but on what we choose to protect right here at home.
