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Project name:
Northwest Florida Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Salvage (#5003)
Project status: In progress
Grant Administrator:
Gulf of Mexico Foundation
(for NOAA)
Grantee:
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Project location: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Wakulla and a portion of Jefferson County, Florida
Grant period: Jan
1, 2006 to Jan 1, 2007
Grant amount:
$42,000
Land Ownership: Public/Sovereign Submerged Lands
Lat/Long: N 30.3866°/W 87.2079° to N 30.0993°/W 84.0387°
Types of Habitat: Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV)
and seagrass
Project leader: Eric
Schneider, environmental manager
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
160 Governmental Center
Pensacola, Florida 32502
phone: (850)
595-8300 ext 1194
fax: (850) 595-8417
email:
eric.schneider@dep.state.fl.us
Project Area
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Species Benefiting From Restoration:
- black drum (Pogonias cromis)
- red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)
- summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)
- southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma)
- spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus)
- gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus)
- gag grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis)
- sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
- sand seatrout (Cyanoscion arenarius)
- spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus)
- blue crab (Callinectes sapidus)
- stone crab (Menippe mercenaria)
Acres of Habitat To be Restored:
10+ acres
Project Summary:
This project will focus on salvaging Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation (SAV) material from permitted or exempt
marine construction projects and relocating the
material to areas where SAV has been previously
documented to exist, thereby making good use of
valuable plant material and marine sediments that
would otherwise be destroyed. The long-term goal for
this project is to produce a document/protocol that
can be utilized as a Florida panhandle specific SAV
restoration guide. The methodology of this project has
far more potential as a pilot project that could be
transferred to other areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The
elements of coordination with contractors and property
owners will enhance the public education/partnership
aspects of the project and volunteerism.
Need for Project:
Loss of SAV habitat is a problem that is experienced
statewide in Florida and Gulf of Mexico wide. Due to
the climatological differences experienced in the
Florida Panhandle, SAV restoration is affected by a
shorter growing period for SAVs and a lack of suitable
material. The project addresses the problem by:
- expanding
the current level of restoration effort along the NW
Florida coast
- enhancing the pool of SAV material
available for restoration projects by capturing
material-of-opportunity that would otherwise be lost
- creating a mechanism for matching the salvaged
material to receptor sites and mobilizing the
transplanting in a short time frame
- conducting
monitoring and scientific analysis to improve SAV
transplant technology
On-The-Ground Activities:
- coordinate with marine contractors, consultants,
developers and homeowners to
identify the potential SAV salvage sites in eastern
Florida panhandle counties
- salvage SAV
material slated for impact by various
techniques to test success rates
- consider GEMS sites along
the Florida panhandle as
areas for receiver sites
- conduct ecological monitoring of the restoration
and salvage sites to record data for
site analysis
- conduct education outreach through workshops, public events, instituting
volunteerism from local universities and contacting
recent permittees to inform them of the project
Monitoring and Long-Term Management:
Monitoring
components for this project will include monitoring:
- Salvage Site – site where the material will originate
- Receiver Site – site where material is planted
- Areas of existing SAV communities in the vicinity
where work will not occur
- Areas void of SAVs as background data and potential
receiver sites
A final report will outline successes and lessons learned for developing restoration models and future guidance and to seek future finding.
Community Involvement:
Involvement of state universities with undergraduate
and graduate level support for project monitoring and
restoration activities has been initiated. Additional
contacts with other colleges and universities, civic
groups, general public and non-profits are expected.
Future community support may lead to additional match
or funding opportunities. Potential research work with
EPA has been initiated and could benefit the SAV
salvage project on many fronts. Property owners will
be contacted to encourage their interest and
involvement.
Activity Schedule:
- January-March 2006 – Project initiation
– Coordinate regional workshops to contact marine
contractors
– Disseminate educational pamphlets
– Procure project equipment
– Begin coordination with contractors
– Salvage material
– Install material at receiver sites
– Develop controlled study of sediment bacterial
components
– Develop monitoring protocol
- April-June 2006
– Conduct first monitoring event of installed units
– Conduct additional workshops/conferences
– Salvage material
– Install material at receiver sites
– Submit data relating to salvage sites
- July-September 2006
– Salvage material
– Install material at receiver sites
– Submit data relating to salvage sites
- October-December 2006
– Conduct second biannual monitoring event
– Salvage material
– Install material at receiver sites
– Setup greenhouse for holding/monitoring planting
units over winter
– Submit data analysis
– Submit final report on successes and lessons learned
– Submit recommendation for continuation of program
Project Partners:
Florida Oceans Initiative
Gulf of Mexico Foundation
NOAA Community-based Restoration Program
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