Most of the fish probably died during the first 24 hours after the storm as toxic hydrogen sulfide was released from bottom sediments, and decaying organic matter consumed dissolved oxygen, causing fish to asphyxiate.The value of freshwater fish killed was about $160 million, most of which was attributed to the estimated 29,000 paddlefish that died. (The paddlefish is an endangered species and its valuation is based on the $2,500 per-fish fine for killing paddlefish.) Estimates of the number of other species killed (in millions) include shad, 100; bream, 23; crappie, 7; largemouth bass, 5; fresh-water drum, 11; buffalo, 12; catfish, 11; and carp, 1 (Harry Blanchet, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, oral commun., 1993).
Hurricane Andrew passed through the heart of the largest wetlands in the United States, the Florida Everglades. (See article "Florida Wetland Resources" in the State Summaries part of this volume.) Perhaps the most dramatic effect of the storm's passage through these wetlands was the major structural damage to trees caused by the strong winds. The storm passed directly over Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park, knocking down or severely damaging mangrove trees on about 70,000 acres of wetlands in the two parks. Within the storm's path, virtually all large trees located in hammock areas (islands of dense, tropical undergrowth), typically hardwoods, were defoliated and about 25 percent of the trees were wind thrown or badly broken. In the Atchafalaya River Basin, an estimated 182 million freshwater fish perished because of the resuspension of anaerobic bottom materials in the water column . Other damage was attributed to vegetative scour, which resulted from large areas of attached plants having their roots torn from the bottom, and salt burn, which occurred when saline (salty) water from the Gulf of Mexico was pushed into freshwater areas, killing and damaging salt-sensitive plants (Lee Foot, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, oral commun., 1993). About 25 square miles of coastal wetlands in Louisiana are being lost every year due to coastal erosion and wetland deterioration. The marsh suffered substantial immediate loss of coastal wetlands and possibly has hastened the erosion and deterioration processes already at work. The manitees got relocated and the manitees would find a new source of food.
Damage to woody vegetation was most severe near the eye of the storm where winds were the strongest (Davis and others, 1994). However, within 20 days surviving trees and shrubs had sprouted new growth (Alper, 1992). After a several of years all the trees and shrubs will grow back. All the fish will repopulate slowly. The algae that was pulled out of the ground will grow back. Also after a while the fish will have enough to have the same amount of fish, before the hurricane hit.
Damage to woody vegetation was most severe near the eye of the storm where winds were the strongest (Davis and others, 1994). However, within 20 days surviving trees and shrubs had sprouted new growth (Alper, 1992). After a several of years all the trees and shrubs will grow back. All the fish will repopulate slowly. The algae that was pulled out of the ground will grow back. Also after a while the fish will have enough to have the same amount of fish, before the hurricane hit.