Florida's lakes and bays are increasingly vulnerable to harmful algae blooms. Cutting back on fertilizer use in one way to help.

What do washing our cars, mowing our lawns and walking our dogs have to do with fishing and hunting in Florida? Besides cutting into our leisure time, the way we carry out these daily chores and others can have a profound impact on fish and game habitat.

With Florida continuing to add over 300,000 new residents every year, never has it been more important for sportsmen to understand that every action we take in our homes and yards doesn’t just affect the birds and butterflies that visit it, but the state’s other wildlife, as well.

There are many things we can do to improve the environment for fish and game. Here are ten we can do in our own backyards:

1) Watch what goes into the groundwater—Everything that goes into the ground on our property has the potential of finding its way into Florida’s waterways. Stormwater runoff is a leading cause of water pollution. One good example is the substances we use in the care and maintenance of our boats. Products which contain toxic ingredients such as chlorine, phosphates or ammonia can dry the natural oil that fish need for their gills to take in oxygen.

To reduce the need for toxic products, rinse your boat with fresh water after each use. For heavier cleaning, use old-fashioned cleaning methods including baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and “elbow grease,” or ask your marine supply store for non-toxic cleaning products. It is much safer to do any cleaning over your grass or some other absorbent surface than to allow water to run off onto a paved or hard surface. And always collect any engine oil or other lubricants in an approved container and take it to a designated recycling center.

2) Fertilize with care—Fertilizers contain nutrients that can cause algae blooms in Florida’s waterways. An extreme example of this is Lake Apopka, just northwest of Orlando. Years ago, Lake Apopka was so clear, fishermen could actually pick out which bass to catch. After years of fish kills caused by algae blooms Lake Apopka is now considered the most polluted lake in Florida.

Your lawn’s nutritional needs can be met without chemical fertilizers by using compost or allowing grass clippings to remain on the lawn. If you do feel the need to apply fertilizer, become familiar with the numbers on your fertilizer label. These numbers represent the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, in that order. Nitrogen helps make plants green and supplies plants with energy to grow, but in waterways it can cause hypoxia, diminishing populations of fish and shellfish. Phosphorus promotes flowering and seed production, which is unnecessary for lawns and causes algae blooms in waterways.

Look for fertilizer that is very low in phosphorus or contains no phosphorus at all (zero for the middle number). Nitrogen should be at least 30% slow-release, water-insoluble nitrogen.

The market for biodegradable boat cleaners is growing.

3) Use pesticides sparingly—Earthworms, crickets, grasshoppers and all sorts of insect larvae are popular baits for freshwater fishing in Florida. Yet many people use pesticides that kill these creatures if they show up in their yard. Pesticides not only kill healthy organisms in your yard, but they can make their way into waterways, where they harm fish, plants and other living things.

Keeping a healthy yard is the best defense against insects. Plants that have not been weakened by over-watering and over-fertilization are less vulnerable to harmful insects. Predators such as bigger bugs, toads and birds usually take care of the ones that sneak in.

If you think you have a pest problem, the first thing to do is to identify the insect. Your local County Extension Agents (check the phone book blue pages) can help you identify Florida insects and will be able to recommend the least toxic solution for the specific insect. These include insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and products containing a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis (BT).