What is a prop scar, how is the sea grass damaged, and how long does it take to grow back?
With an increasing rate of coastal residents and visitors, prop scars are visible in all areas of the state of Florida. Scarring usually occurs in shallow water, less than six feet deep when a boats propeller hits the bottom. The term scarring refers to the actual action or to a group of scars in a sea grass bed. A single scar by a large commercial vessel is severely damaging but numerous scars caused by smaller watercraft in an area can be just as devastating. The sea grass is damaged when the boats propeller rips through sea grass beds. The roots, stems, and leaves are torn and cut up. This leaves a bare area on the ocean floor. Propellers are only one of many threats to the sea grass beds. Even so, they are quickly becoming the biggest threat to this vital component of Floridas ecological system. Many people are unaware of how difficult it is for a prop scar to heal. Many times the scar fills with sediment or is turned into a much larger hole by strong currents making regrowth impos
