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Tag: Sarasota Bay Watch

Reel Time: Sister Keys Cleanup reaps benefits

Reel Time: Sister Keys Cleanup reaps benefits

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Waterkeeper teamed up with Sarasota Bay Watch this past weekend when they conducted the 2022 Annual Sister Keys Cleanup.

The event was a collaboration with the Town of Longboat Key and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Close to 40 volunteers worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items.

The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early ’60s as the Shangri Isle Club and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went on sale for $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy in an attempt to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. The Town purchased the islands in 1994 with a stipulation that the keys would never be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a 2-acre wetland. Today mature mangroves dominate the waterways and are rich with crustaceans, minnows, juvenile finfish and wading birds. Native species planted on uplands created from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in the late 1800s have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida. The cleanup is part of a continuing two-prong ongoing effort to clean the islands of trash and the resurgence of invasive species.

The Longboat Key Marine division patrolled the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters as volunteers embarked for the island and brought bags of trash and recycling back to the edges of the ICW. Kayakers and those without a boat were ferried to the island by volunteer boaters.

Back at the Longboat Key Town Boat Ramp after the event, volunteers loaded the debris into a truck provided by the Town of Longboat Key Public Works. All plastics and cans were collected in separate green bags provided by SBW and recycled. The volunteers were treated to lunch by the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant, a longtime supporter of the event.

Reel Time: Sister Keys Cleanup reaps benefits
SBW’s Ronda Ryan holds a letter in a bottle found by Benny Parrish on the Sister Keys. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

The Sister Keys Cleanup is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In 2021, SBW planted clams in the bay in an ongoing restoration effort. Other cleanups are conducted at various locations throughout the bay, as well as an annual monofilament cleanup and much more.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is a Sarasota-based advocacy non-profit committed to protecting and restoring the Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, field work, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. Their efforts have been responsible for major initiatives that hold municipalities responsible to mandates established in the landmark 1982 Clean Water Act. SCWK also conducts bi-monthly water testing of inland coastal waters.

For more information on the groups’ missions and to become a member, visit their websites, Sarasota Bay Watch and Suncoast Waterkeeper www.sarasotabaywatch.org and www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org.

Reel Time: Scallopalooza is ‘Clamtastic!’

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

On Saturday night, Feb. 12, Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) held its 11th annual major fund-raising event, “Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic,” at the Sarasota Hyatt Regency Hotel. The yearly event was another sellout and at the time of this writing final totals are still being tabulated.

I was impressed at the overwhelming community support that was shown for Sarasota Bay Watch’s efforts and estimate that close to 400 people were in attendance. SBW’s event coordinator, Ronda Ryan, worked with volunteer Jen Zak, the SBW Board and Scallopalooza Committee Chairs Brian Jung, Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Ernesto Lasso De La Vega to organize an event that highlights the importance of, and support for, local nonprofits that stress the importance of clean water.

The evening began with live music, an open bar and a large silent auction including art work, event tickets and merchandise of every description as participants mingled to share their passion for Sarasota Bay. Event Chair Brian Jung welcomed the crowd and thanked them for their support while keeping everyone apprised of the auction items and encouraging them to visit the tables. Ernesto Lasso De La Vega gave an inspirational introduction to the clam restoration project, speaking about the scientific documentation that the group is currently involved in. John Ryan, a founding member of Sarasota Bay Watch, was next and explained the motivation and purpose of SBW’s many projects and emphasized the group’s non-partisan “fun” approach to conservation. Ryan cited SBW’s many activities including island and rookery cleanups, citizen and student education and much more.

Island entrepreneur and conservationist Ed Chiles took the podium after dinner and encouraged the attendees to support the efforts by turning dollars into clams and offered a substantial match to those who might join the effort. Another prominent Anna Maria Island business owner, Ben Webb, made a major contribution to the efforts that raised the funds to implement the ongoing “Clampaign” to stock 1.5 million clams in the coming year. WWSB TV’s Channel 7 weatherman Bob Harrigan, one of the area’s most popular and respected broadcasters, gave a rousing speech lauding the group’s efforts. Harrigan has been promoting those efforts since SBW’s first-ever Scallop Search in 2008.

The city of Anna Maria is currently considering a similar project to prove the efficacy of using clams to help mitigate red tide algae blooms and encourage the growth of threatened seagrass beds.

To get involved with the work SBW is doing to protect Sarasota Bay and support their mission, visit their website. As they say, “A Healthy Bay is Everybody’s Business,” literally and figuratively!

Reel Time: Join the CLAMpaign For Clean Water

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Readers of this column appreciate the importance of clean water. From the glass we put to our lips and extending to the waters that surround the islands, water is literally and figuratively life!

When I got the news from Sarasota Bay Watch Program Director Ronda Ryan that they were kicking off a new phase of their clam restoration project, I was eager to learn more. When I heard that my friend and fellow advocate Nanette O’Hara had coined the term “CLAMpaign,” I was assured of the success of the program and eager to help. The current CLAMpaign is working to raise $100,000 to purchase and release 1 million clams into Sarasota Bay.

Volunteers prepare to plant clams during a 2020 release. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

A reason SBW chose clams was their resilience to red tide, their long life span and their water filtering capabilities. Sarasota Bay Watch plans to extend its impact with the filter feeders to the north and the south of Sarasota Bay.  Experimental test sites are being utilized to determine new release sites. Scientist recommendations and historical local maps of shellfish presence are assisting in the site locations. The release sites have also supported ongoing research into marine species activity and predation. Local students have utilized the project for additional studies and research. Community involvement raises water quality awareness and reinforces personal responsibility to take care of our water. Sarasota Bay Watch is community-supported and volunteer-fueled.

With the extraordinary decrease in seagrass, SBW feels it is important to act now to improve the water and benthic condition of the bay to aid in seagrass recruitment. Clams filter water and help to remove excess nitrogen, the major cause of harmful algae blooms like red tide.

Sarasota Bay Watch is an organization built upon action. They are taking action now before the situation gets any worse. Throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, SBW had to cancel many activities but was able to get clams into the water to improve the quality and health of the bay 24/7.

Sarasota Bay Watch is currently awaiting approval for a local lease to grow the clams for their projects, which will make the cost of restoration cheaper while reducing stress on the shellfish. The goal is for the clams to start spawning, increasing their numbers and repopulating a depleted bay.

“These are native clams that use to be abundant here. There are many stories of people clamming for their dinner. Our clams are not being restored for commercial purposes,” said Ryan.

CLAMpaign for Clean Water aims to improve the health and resilience of our water. A healthy bay will support abundant fish populations and the economy of a community that depends upon its water. The monetary benefits of protecting and supporting Sarasota Bay are immeasurable.

To join SBW in their CLAMpaign for Clean Water, go to www.sarasotabaywatch.org. Ryan can be reached at 941-232-2363.

Volunteers clean up Sister Keys

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Waterkeeper teamed up with Sarasota Bay Watch on Saturday, March 6 during the annual Sister Keys cleanup.

Thirty-five volunteers braved inclement weather and collected almost 900 pounds of debris from the unique chain of islands in north Sarasota Bay. The event was a collaboration with the Town of Longboat Key and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant.

Volunteers led by Sarasota Bay Watch Program Director Ronda Ryan worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items.

Longbeach Village residents Becky Parrish, Michael Riter, Patty McBride and Barry Rooks managed traffic and ferried volunteers on their golf carts from parking at Whitney Beach Plaza. Other Village residents including Mark McBride, Benny Parrish and Dan Madole managed transporting and orienting helpers. Ivan Zunz and his daughter Zuleika, Ali Claypoole, Jen McLellan and Henry and Deborah Stachura all pitched in.

After returning and sorting their “treasure,” participants were treated to a gourmet box lunch by the Mar Vista staff. Anna Maria resident Ed Chiles, owner of the Mar Vista, has been a sponsor of the event since its inception in 2010.

Special thanks go out to Larry Beggs of Reef Innovations who donated his time and barge to transport volunteers and debris. Longboat Key Public Works helped clear trails on the Sister Keys and provided a dump truck to haul the debris while Longboat Key Police officer Ed Kolodzieski was on hand to slow boat traffic in the Intracoastal Waterway.

Through an arrangement with Longboat Key Public Works, volunteers can still do a cleanup on their own until Sunday, March 14 and deposit bags at the town dock for pickup.

Ronda Ryan and Ivan Zunz sort the debris after the cleanup. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Ronda Ryan and Ivan Zunz sort the debris after the cleanup. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Cyndi Seamon, Alison Albee and Tim Thurman enjoy lunch after the event under the buttonwoods at the Mar Vista. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Cyndi Seamon, Alison Albee and Tim Thurman enjoy lunch after the event under the buttonwoods at the Mar Vista. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

From left, Peter Peduzzi, Ann Maria Shields and Federico Vasquez return with a load of trash collected with the help of sisters Ashley and Brianna Aular and their mother, Katie Aular. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

From left, Peter Peduzzi, Ann Maria Shields and Federico Vasquez return with a load of trash collected with the help of sisters Ashley and Brianna Aular and their mother, Katie Aular. - Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Reel Time: COVID-safe Sister Keys cleanup

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is teaming up with Sarasota Bay Watch this year for the Annual Sister Keys Cleanup on Saturday, March 6. The event is a collaboration with the Town of Longboat Key and the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant. Volunteers will work for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting trash and recyclable items.

The Sister Keys were originally slated for development in the early ’60s and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went on sale for $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy in an attempt to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve. The Town purchased the islands in 1994 with a stipulation that the keys would never be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a 2-acre wetland. Today, mature mangroves dominate the waterways, which are rich with crustaceans, minnows, juvenile finfish and wading birds. Native species planted on uplands, first created from the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in the late 1800s, have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida.

The cleanup is part of a continuing two-pronged effort to clean the islands of trash and the resurgence of invasive species.

The Longboat Key Marine division will be patrolling the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters. Kayakers and those without a boat will be ferried to the island by volunteers. Larry Begs, owner of Reef Innovations Inc., will once again help the effort with a barge where volunteers can offload their trash.

Back at the Longboat Key Town Boat Ramp, volunteers will load the debris into a truck provided by the Town of Longboat Key. All recyclable items will be collected in separate green bags provided by Sarasota Bay Watch.

Anyone not willing to mask for the event or those who are still uncomfortable with groups can still participate during the following week. Through an arrangement with Longboat Key Public Works, volunteers can do a cleanup on their own and deposit bags at the town dock for pickup. A map showing landing areas and trails will be available online at www.sarasotabaywatch.org and www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org.

The Sister Keys Cleanup is just one of many projects that SBW is involved in. In 2020, SBW planted over 750,000 clams in the bay in an ongoing restoration effort. Other cleanups are conducted at various locations throughout the bay as well as an annual monofilament cleanup and much more. Suncoast Waterkeeper is a Sarasota-based advocacy non-profit committed to protecting and restoring the Florida Suncoast’s waterways through enforcement, field work, advocacy and environmental education for the benefit of the communities that rely upon these precious coastal resources. Their efforts have been responsible for major initiatives that hold municipalities responsible to mandates established in the landmark 1982 Clean Water Act.

Suncoast Waterkeeper also conducts bi-monthly water testing of inland coastal waters. For more information on their mission, go to www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org. To sign up for the event, go to sarasotabaywatch.org.

Reel Time: Sarasota Bay Watch releases clams

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch conducted its first post-COVID-19 clam release on Saturday, Sept. 26. SBW board members and volunteers gathered at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron in the morning to transfer clams to Sarasota Bay. The clams were raised by clam farmer Carter Davis in Pine Island Sound.

Volunteers unload clams from Eagle Distributors truck.
Volunteers stand by to transfer clams to Reef Innovation’s barge. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Gulf Coast Eagle Distributing’s John Saputo provided a refrigerated truck to transport the clams and Mike Welch from Eagle drove the truck. Once at the Sailing Squadron, the clams were loaded on a barge provided by Larry Beggs of Reef Innovations.

Barging clams to their new home in Sarasota Bay.
The barge is loaded and ready to transfer clams to Sarasota Bay. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Twenty high school students from Riverview, Venice and the Sarasota Military Academy received community service hours for their work. Community service is required for graduation, but has been hard to come by during the pandemic. Volunteers also provided 11 boats to the effort. Science partners including the Gulf Shellfish Institute, Mote Marine, Florida Sea Grant and Florida Atlantic University benefit from the deployment. They are conducting studies on predation and aquaculture. Whelks and rays, the main predators of clams, are being acoustically monitored at the release site.

Students deploy clams from the Reef Innovations barge
Clams head for a new home in Sarasota Bay. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

CDC guidelines were followed during the event. All participants had their temperatures taken and were required to wear masks and social distance. SBW is scheduled to release more than 750,000 clams in 2020 and 2021.

Reel Time: Engage and defend

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

This week as I watched the tribute to John Lewis, the American politician and civil rights leader, being eulogized by past presidents of both parties, I was inspired anew by the message of this great American. Lewis encouraged people to speak up and more importantly do something when they see wrongs that need to be righted. While Lewis will be remembered for his bravery in the face of incredible hostility and hatred centered on human rights, I take his message to heart in the threat to our local waters and the habitat that supports it.

Reel Time
Water quality is a continuing problem in local waters. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

The love of coastal habitats has played a defining role in my life. Memories and friendships forged while fishing have led to my determination to speak to others (like you). We need to marshal our resources to protect these irreplaceable treasures so that future generations might have the same opportunities we’ve had.

I’ve written often about the pressures on our fisheries and more recently about the insults that water quality and habitat destruction pose. Recently I’ve become even more alarmed at what I’m seeing on the waters that surround our homes. I fear that there’s actually a possibility of a collapse of the natural systems that support the fish we seek. If you live near the water you’ve experienced the massive blooms of lyngbya (a dangerous cyanobacteria) that have choked canals and boat basins in our island communities as well as the unprecedented bloom that recently blanketed the shore from Perico Bayou to Palma Sola Bay and beyond.

I’m no scientist but it doesn’t take a degree in biology to recognize that we are surrounded by troubled waters. Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) was formed after the devastating harmful (red tide) algae bloom of 2005 that lasted for 13 months. SBW is involving citizens in the region in the health of our Gulf, bays and estuaries. The organization has done an excellent job through initiatives that seek to bring water-filtering shellfish back to healthy populations, remove fishing line from bird rookeries, remove trash and invasive plants from coastal islands and educate future stakeholders.

Other organizations like the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), long champions of protecting fisheries stocks, have begun partnering with groups like SBW and supporting their efforts to stock clams in Sarasota Bay. They also have a robust program of raising and releasing redfish in an attempt to counter the effects of the even more destructive red tide bloom of 2018.

I have supported both organizations since their founding but recently had an epiphany. While I will continue to support groups that work to restore fish and bivalves, it dawned on me that if we don’t address the root problem, i.e. water quality, all other efforts will ultimately lead to failure. This realization led to my involvement with Suncoast Waterkeeper, an organization that addresses these issues. Through outreach, education and advocacy, Waterkeeper groups around the world defend communities against anyone who threatens their right to clean water, from polluters to unresponsive government agencies. The local group founded by Sarasota environmental attorney Justin Bloom has been effective in forcing municipalities from St. Petersburg to Sarasota to adhere to the laws set down in the landmark Clean Water Act. The legislation signed into law in 1972 establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. Locally the law has allowed Suncoast Waterkeeper to force municipalities to address and redress the release of wastewater that has raised nutrient levels in local waters to dangerous levels. Recently, some high-profile sewage spills in Manatee County and Longboat Key, exacerbated by antiquated infrastructure and exploding population growth have been front page news. Unfortunately, these releases are just contributions to a much larger problem. While the root of the problem is too many people, that is an issue that we must accept and find a way to ameliorate.

Recently both Sarasota and Manatee County have contributed millions of dollars to build a world class aquarium near I-75. While I understand the educational principle behind such a project, it seems to me that the money would be better spent fixing the infrastructure that is threatening our “natural aquarium.” Hopefully, we won’t be using aquariums to show our children and future generations what our natural waters “were” like.

Fortunately, it’s not too late to save these precious resources. Sarasota County, in a settlement with Suncoast Waterkeeper, is transitioning to an advanced wastewater system and committed to supporting clean water. To their credit, Manatee County commissioners recently approved a Conservation Referendum that will appear on the November ballot. Voting yes on the referendum would mean approving a property tax increase to create a conservation fund. This will cost the average homeowner about $29 a year, equivalent to 12 McDonalds hamburgers. The “Water Quality, Fish and Wildlife Habitat Preservation and Parks” funding will allow the county to issue bonds of up to $50 million.

Do your part by voting for proposals and leaders both locally and federally that support clean water and clean air. Check their voting record at the League of Conservation Voters  www.lcv.org. Join with Suncoast Waterkeeper to help with local clean water initiatives at www.suncoast waterkeeper.org. Learn about Sarasota Bay Watch and its shellfish restoration program at www.sarasotabaywatch.org.

Next week, let’s go fishing when Reel Time on the Road goes to Dillon, Montana.

Reel Time Scallopalooza It's Clamtastic

Reel Time: Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) held its 10th Annual “Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic” fund-raising event at their new venue, Sarasota’s Hyatt Regency Hotel. on Saturday, Feb. 15. The yearly event sold out and exceeded all expectations as close to 450 people showed up to demonstrate their support for the group’s efforts to protect and enhance the health of Sarasota Bay. Attendees from Sarasota and Manatee counties were represented as well as officials from both counties and environmental groups including the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Mote Scientific Foundation, START, Suncoast Waterkeeper, Longboat Key Turtle Watch, Save Our Seabirds, Coastal Conservation Association, The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory, The Gulf Shellfish Institute, Science and Environmental Council of Southwest Florida, New College and Saint Stephen’s just to name a few.

A number of annual attendees commented that they were “blown away” by the outpouring of support for an organization that was formed in 2007 in the aftermath of one of the area’s massive red tide events. SBW’s event coordinator, Ronda Ryan, worked with event planner Laura Detwiler, the SBW board and Scallopalooza Committee Chairs Brian Jung, Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Ernesto Lasso De La Vega to organize an event that had a seasoned activist overheard commenting that SBW was “more than a little found!”

The evening began with live music, an open bar and a huge silent auction including artwork, event tickets and merchandise of every description as participants mingled to share their passion for Sarasota Bay. Event Chair Brian Jung welcomed the crowd and thanked them for their support while keeping everyone apprised of the auction items and encouraging them to visit the tables. John Ryan, a founding member of Sarasota Bay Watch, was next and explained the purpose of the event as well as SBW’s many projects including island cleanups, student educational activities, plans for the future as well as updating participants on the group’s program in progress to introduce 1 million clams into Sarasota Bay in 2020. This effort got a huge boost in 2019 with a $106,000 donation from the Marjory and Charles Barancik Foundation. Jung related the impact of clams on the health of the bay and how funds raised at the event will support those efforts.

In an emotional speech, Sarasota’s Barbara Sucoff, an SBW supporter who learned about the group’s efforts at a “Friend Raiser” event at the VUE condominium with her late husband Jim Ninivaggi, spoke of the legacy he wanted to and did leave supporting SBW’s efforts. WWSB TV’s Channel 7 weatherman Bob Harrigan, one of the area’s most popular and respected broadcasters and the emcee for the live auction gave a rousing speech lauding the group’s efforts and encouraging them to bid on a trip with award-winning local celebrity Captain Scott Moore and a package of premier tickets to the Tampa Bay Bucs football games. Harrigan has been promoting the group’s efforts since the beginning and recounted the segment he did with Sarasota’s Captain Jonnie Walker during SBW’s first-ever Scallop Search in 2008. Moore then took the stage and recounted his life-long love affair with Sarasota Bay and his commitment to protecting it, beginning with the formation of the Manatee County Chapter of the Florida Conservation Association in the 1980s until today. He then proceeded to up his offering from one day to two, offering trips from Sarasota Bay to Charlotte Harbor.

Both auction items were heavily bid on and raised thousands of dollars for the group’s efforts. At press time the totals of the evening’s proceeds that will be put to work in Sarasota Bay were not available but early estimates are that they will far exceed those of previous events.

To get involved with the work SBW is doing to protect Sarasota Bay and support its mission, visit their website. As they say, “A Healthy Bay is Everybody’s Business,” literally and figuratively!

Reel Time: Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic

Reel Time: Scallopalooza, it’s clamtastic

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch’s “Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic!” fundraising event is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Feb. 15, 2020.

SBW’s major fundraiser supports the many projects the organization is involved with including its ongoing shellfish restoration project.

After almost a decade at the Sarasota Yacht Club, this year’s event is moving to a larger banquet venue at Sarasota’s Hyatt Regency. At press time, over 300 participants are signed up for the event. Past events were capped at 200 due to space limitations at the Yacht Club.

Monies raised from past events have paid for the introduction of millions of scallop larvae and adult clams into Sarasota Bay from Bradenton to Sarasota with the hope of repopulating our Bay waters with these once-abundant species.

SBW’s restoration effort is growing exponentially, fueled by the interest and concern of the communities surrounding the Bay as well as the determination of its citizens to be part of the solution. The importance of this work has been made all the clearer from the water quality issues that have been plaguing area waters for years.

Hard-shell clam restoration has proven more suitable than scallops to challenging water quality issues while providing a sustainable approach to improving water quality. Sarasota Bay Watch’s restoration program has gained the attention of scientists and community leaders interested in the benefits of the clam’s natural filtration as well as the army of motivated volunteers that have backed the initiative.

This year the effort has been given a tremendous boost by a generous $106,000 donation from the Charles and Marjory Barancik Foundation. These monies are being used to plant one million clams in Sarasota Bay in 2020.

These million clams can filter huge amounts of water every day helping to clean our Bay waters and reduce excess nutrients that may contribute to red tide. They also provide a food source for a plethora of wildlife.

Our Bay and Gulf waters are the key to our robust economy and provide the environment that attracts people and commerce to this region. Sarasota Bay Watch is committed to protecting and preserving the Bay water and the animals that depend on it. Please, join us to help us raise the funds needed to maintain and drive this vigorous level of restoration.

The Scallopalooza event has enjoyed the continued support of the community, proof that the businesses and inhabitants of Manatee and Sarasota counties care about and are willing to tackle this long-term restoration project. Sarasota Bay Watch was initially formed with the mission of protecting and restoring Sarasota Bay’s ecosystem through community education and citizen participation. The spirit of the mission is reflected in the organization’s slogan, “A healthy Bay is everybody’s business.”

Come and join SBW on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, for an evening of camaraderie, great food, music and libations at one of Sarasota’s most spectacular venues. The event kicks off with 6 p.m. cocktails, followed by a silent and live auction. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. The Sarasota Hyatt Regency is located at 1000 Boulevard of The Arts in Sarasota.

Tickets are $100 per person and tables are $850 for 10 people. Tickets can be purchased online. For additional event information contact Ronda Ryan at rondaryan@sarasotabaywatch.org or call (941) 232-2363.

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Reel Time: Scallop Search Aug. 24

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch’s annual Scallop Search, its signature and longest-standing event, is slated for Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron on City Island. This free event engages the public in what has been called citizen science because it assists scientists with monitoring the scallops in Sarasota Bay. The search is a boating event, but Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) will try to place non-boaters on boats when possible.

Over the years this event has been conducted in cooperation with other groups in Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound to assess the health of scallops in southwest Florida. This year, Sarasota Bay Watch will also be assessing our local clam population after the successful release of 250,000 clams last year. The bay is still recovering from last year’s devastating red tide, so your participation will help answer the question “How’s our bay today?”

Over the last several years, SBW has gotten invaluable support from The Anna Maria Island Sail and Power Squadron (America’s Boating Club of the Bradenton area). The Squadron’s focus is boating education and civic service to groups like SBW. It is currently creating a life preserver loan program for boaters and conducts vessel safety checks.

Janet Razze, the commander of the group, has organized the squadron and other volunteers to monitor Palma Sola Bay and north Sarasota Bay. Razze and the group begin early, actively looking for scallops and clams in a two- to three-week window before the actual event. This allows more people to be involved as it allows them to work around weather and people’s availability. They then have their data ready to share on the 24th. If you would like to participate with the squadron give Razze a call at 941- 779-5477. Participants will still need to go online to register.

To assess populations, a grid is constructed that covers the bay and volunteers snorkel transects for scallops and clams to document their presence. The Scallop Search was originally initiated with support provided by Tampa Bay Watch. The goal of the event is to monitor and document the health and status of scallops, clams and the bay in general. Data goes to the Florida Wildlife Research Institute.

This event is a perfect family activity. Searching requires swimming and snorkeling abilities. It is done over the grass flats usually in six feet of water or less. There will be a complimentary lunch for volunteers after the search at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron on City Island. This is a No Harvest event.

Participants will need to bring a mask and snorkel, sunscreen, water, and (optional) a weight belt. Fins are helpful, and divers should bring a dive flag if they have one. The only other requirements are good eyes and a great spirit! Registration is required, so go to www.sarasotabaywatch.org for more information.

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Reel Time: Grant boosts SBW clam restoration effort

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

On Monday, Aug. 5, Sarasota Bay Watch received an award letter and grant agreement from the Sarasota based Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. The $106,000 grant will support SBW’s efforts to continue restoring water cleaning southern hard-shell clams to Sarasota Bay. The population of these clams, traditional residents of the bay ecosystem, are at historic lows. The restoration’s goal is to help create a self-sustaining population into the future.

The grant provides funds for SBW to acquire 1,000,000 clam seeds (4 mm size/3 months old) from the Bay Shellfish Company shellfish hatchery, hire a professional clam farmer’s services to grow the clam seed for about two and a half months before flipping them into larger grow out gear before executing approximately 25 harvests. Each batch will consist of about 150 bushels weighing about 14,000 pounds (approximately 30,000 clams/harvest).

The grant also covers the costs to transport clam harvests to Sarasota Bay from Pine Island. Expenses include truck rental, ice and gasoline. Clam growing equipment including mesh bags, cover nets, stakes and underwater equipment needed for local clam grow out is also covered as well as webmaster services, social media, community education, outreach, engagement, and the marine stewardship and conservation awareness that supports the program.

Sarasota Bay Watch also received funds as part of the grant to hire a professional clam farmer as a consultant and project leader to seek a submerged lease from the state of Florida so Sarasota Bay Watch can grow clams locally. This would significantly lower costs and improve efficiency.

Sarasota Bay Watch former President Larry Stults, who headed the grant request for SBW, clearly sees the connection between the grant funds and a healthy bay.

“Clams live up to 30 years and can filter up to 24 gallons of water a day,” says Stults. “Do the math and you can clearly see the connection. That’s over a quarter of a million gallons of water over one clam’s lifetime.”

Sarasota Bay Watch began its clam restoration in 2016 by collecting adult native southern hard-shell clams for the spawn it needed to launch the effort. Once plentiful in local waters, the clams proved difficult to locate and that’s one of the reasons the program was launched.

Sarasota Bay Watch had entered into a partnership with Bay Shellfish Company, a commercial shellfish hatchery in Terra Ceia Bay on the southern shore of Tampa Bay, in 2008. Bay Shellfish owner Curt Hemmel had developed a method to grow algae allowing him to spawn and condition bivalves, including the scallops that Sarasota Bay Watch had been seeding into Sarasota Bay for the past decade.

Sarasota Bay Watch added Southern hard-shell clams to its restoration efforts in 2016 for several reasons. Like scallops, their numbers are critically low from historical averages. Unlike scallops that live only 1.5 years, clams can thrive for up to three decades. In addition, clams are more resistant to red tide and can actually eat low levels of the harmful algae.

Sarasota Bay Watch began its clam restoration project on March 1, 2017, when it purchased 330,000 seed clams from Bay Shellfish, each about the size of a little fingernail.  Aaron Welch, a commercial Tampa Bay clam farmer, was hired to do the first round of what is called grow out in fine mesh bags anchored to seagrass beds. After 70 days they were transferred to larger mesh bags on the bay bottom and overlaid with a protective cover net.

Sarasota Bay Watch has partnered with Mote Marine Laboratory Senior Scientist and Benthic Ecology Program Manager Jim Culter to create a series of experimental plots alongside SBW’s clam release areas to test a range of variables – hand planting the clams vs. dropping them on the bottom without planting, cover netting vs. none, soft sand bottom vs. hard-packed sediment, grassy vs. sandy bottoms, etc. From these experiments, the partners hope to learn how to make future restoration cycles more successful.

With the help of the Barancik Foundation Grant, Sarasota Bay Watch can now scale up the operation and advance plans to introduce clams to Manatee County and Sarasota County waters in 2020 and beyond. Ultimately, it is Sarasota Bay Watch’s hope that the program can become self-sustaining and self-funding. In the end, Stults can clearly see the link between the clam restoration effort and a vibrant Sarasota Bay.

Check out Sarasota Bay Watch’s website for videos of the clam releases. Learn about the good works the Barancik Foundation does in Sarasota and beyond online.

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Reel Time: Cleanup celebrates World Ocean Day

Reel Time: Cleanup celebrates World Ocean Day

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch and ninety-one community volunteers from Sarasota and Manatee County conducted their annual New Pass underwater cleanup Saturday, June 8, at Ken Thompson Park in Sarasota.

Thirty divers, a dozen kayakers and paddle boarders, and Girl Scout Troup 9 from Phillippi Shores Elementary assisted. The Girl Scouts helped rescue stone crabs, fish, shrimp, a sea horse and assorted mollusks from the collected debris, gleefully releasing them back into the pass. The City of Sarasota provided two police boats to help assure the divers’ safety.

Reel Time New Pass cleanup
Volunteers inventory debris collected by divers. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Other partners who helped make the event possible include Scuba Quest, Aqua Lung, the Reef Rovers, Aqua Ventures, Jet Ski Siesta LLC, police department and the Sarasota Sailing Squadron.

Student volunteers earned 48 service hours and helped the other team members collect and recycle almost 300 pounds of derelict fishing tackle and cast nets. When all the debris was totaled and weighed, the effort removed almost 800 pounds of debris from Bay waters.

The event was held in conjunction with World Ocean Day.

Sarasota Bay Watch is part of a marine debris reduction group that works in conjunction with NOAA to bring awareness to the unseen threat to marine life and health.

The debris breakdown included a wide array of objects, including the following:

Derelict fishing gear: nets, lead from nets, bait bucket, four fishing poles, three fishing reels, 157 feet of rope and two bait nets.

Miscellaneous finds: 10 feet of boat rail, a pair of channel locks, two beach balls, two bike tires, a spark plug, sunglasses, four knives, a cellphone in a case with a driver’s license and credit cards, a gas cap and a pipe.

Other entangling debris: 210 feet of electrical wiring, 27 feet of PVC poles, metal cylinders, a window from a boat and a box cutter.

Live animals freed from debris: Four stone crabs, 65 crabs, a mussel, a clam, four fish, one shrimp, eight jellyfish and 17 corals.

Dead animals: Four fish and two crabs.

Ronda Ryan, SBW’s event coordinator, would like to thank all volunteers and encourage other interested community members to check SBW’s website www.sarasotabaywatch.org for upcoming events.

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Reel Time: Clams restored to Manatee County waters

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Red tide, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch capped a two-year clam restoration effort in January. Despite windy conditions and a choppy bay, board members and volunteers placed 7,000 pounds, or about 52,000 clams, at two sites in Manatee County. This brings the total to just over 250,000 clams placed as a part of the restoration project.

At one of the sites, the water was crystal clear and Al Jeffrey and diver Ian Kayea, an underwater videographer and Scuba Quest employee, got excellent footage of the clams in their new home.

Sarasota Bay Watch has a second round of about 750,000 clams growing as we speak under the watchful eye of Curt at the Bay Shellfish hatchery.

While much of the restoration has been focused on sites in Sarasota County, SBW President Steve Martin made it clear that the nonprofit is dedicated to restoring clams to all the waters of Sarasota Bay.

“Sarasota Bay extends to all of Manatee County’s bay waters from mid-Longboat Key to Tampa Bay. In 2019, we’ll be introducing more clams to Manatee County waters and holding events there like the Sister Keys clean up and island invasive plant control in conjunction with Longboat Key Public Works,” Martin said.

“Sarasota Bay Watch is a grassroots, nonprofit, citizen-based organization dedicated to preserving and restoring Sarasota Bay’s ecosystem through education and citizen participation. SBW would like to thank Reef Innovations, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, Sarasota Sailing Squadron, and their many wonderful volunteers for making the restoration effort possible,” he added.

Sarasota Bay Watch works with a set of core values to guide their activities. Their goal is to initiate innovative and effective action grounded in selfless and comprehensive planning to assure the sustainability of Sarasota Bay, its stakeholders and all its inhabitants.

Action

It is our objective to establish collaborative relationships with other environmental organizations, scientists and NGOs. We strive to forge partnerships that allow Sarasota Bay Watch to accomplish its goals while enhancing the effectiveness of every person and group that benefits from the natural assets of the Bay system.

Commitment

We are committed to accomplishing our mission because of a shared love of the estuarine environment, knowing full well that it supports our economy, our health and an ineffable legacy for future generations. It is our belief that sustainable ecosystems are essential for the well-being of human communities, and that our goals can be accomplished through citizen action that is guided by sound science.

Integrity

Sarasota Bay Watch is committed to openness and honesty, fostering a culture of sincerity and trust. We strive to attain tangible and measurable results through relationships and methods that hold to the highest ethical and financial standards.

Respect

We vow to respect the opinions of our members, volunteers, donors and co-workers.  We will also respect the views of those with whom we may disagree, and strive to reach consensus through dialogue, transparency and collaboration.

Sustainability

We believe a sustainable ecosystem to be one that most closely resembles its natural state absent of human influences and, to the greatest extent possible, one that maintains its balance of species and habitat quality in harmony with human communities. This requires both the education and active stewardship of our human communities.

You can become an active participant by joining as a member and volunteering in Sarasota Bay Watch’s on-going effort to protect and restore this valuable natural resource. Donate your time or help fund our efforts at our website.

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Reel Time: Sarasota Bay seagrasses take a big hit

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

I don’t have to remind anyone of the devastation the red tide wrought in our bays and Gulf. Images of dumpsters stuffed with fish, dead dolphins, manatees and sea turtles have filled the news and been displayed across social media for the last four months.

What we don’t see and what as yet may prove to be the most damaging aspect is the death and dieback of seagrasses. These underwater ecosystems have been referred to as the rainforests of the sea and function to support the marine environment in numerous ways. Most importantly, perhaps, is their importance to water quality.

“Seagrasses help trap fine sediments and particles that are suspended in the water column, which increases water clarity. When a seafloor area lacks seagrass communities, the sediments are more frequently stirred by wind and waves, decreasing water clarity, affecting marine animal behavior, and generally decreasing the recreational quality of coastal areas.

Seagrasses also work to filter nutrients that come from land-based industrial discharge and stormwater runoff before these nutrients are washed out to sea and to other sensitive habitats such as coral reefs,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Seagrasses unlike much of our sea life are mostly hidden from view. Unfortunately, the old adage, “Out of sight out of mind” might apply here. Just last week, I took my boat out to see first-hand the condition of local seagrasses. What I saw at once encouraged me and gave me pause. I am no scientist and this information is, of course, anecdotal, but from the Sister Keys south to Long Bar in mid-Sarasota Bay, I found large areas of bottom previously covered in grass that were essentially bare. Other areas did have full grass coverage but to my eye looked considerably less vibrant.

The good news is that this grass will recover, and the bare areas probably have living roots that will regenerate when the waters clear and they can properly photosynthesize. Unfortunately, the current condition when extrapolated bay wide portends a marine environment that will be much less productive.

The current condition of the bay and Gulf is undeniably impaired and should be a call to action to all who live near and appreciate this magical resource. Fortunately, the natural world is incredibly resilient and with our help can regenerate.   If you’re looking for a bright spot and an opportunity to help, you don’t have to go far. Sarasota Bay Watch, known for its scallop restoration is now reseeding clams, another dynamic water filterer into Sarasota Bay.

The non-profit will have released close to a quarter million southern hard-shell clams into Sarasota Bay by years end and has ambitious plans for planting a million in 2019. Its efforts were embraced by the public and volunteers community-wide, including corporate partners like Gettel Toyota and Gold Coast Eagle Distributing.

This is what SBW co-president Larry Stults calls “proof of concept” anchored by the fact that its clams survived the current red tide. When you consider that clams can filter close to 50 gallons of water a day and live for 30 years the positive impact of the project is clear. We can make help make that possible. For every dollar donated to Sarasota Bay Watch, it will plant 10 clams in Sarasota Bay. That’s 50 gallons of water a day for just the first year or 18,300 gallons of water. Not bad for a $1 investment. To become involved, visit the organization’s website.

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Reel Time: Sarasota Bay Watch clams survive red tide

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Reel Time: Sarasota Bay Watch clams survive red tide

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors, Red tide, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is excited that the clams they introduced into Sarasota Bay this past summer survived the recent red tide outbreak, an outbreak that included the highest concentrations of Karenia brevis ever recorded.

SBW originally focused its shellfish restoration efforts on scallops. Since it was formed in 2007, SBW has released over 21 million scallop larvae, and will continue its scallop restoration program.

Like bay scallops, southern hard clams (aka quahogs) were once abundant in our bays and waterways. Due to the same factors that affected scallops – overharvest, water pollution, sewage, dredge and fill and stormwater runoff – clams no longer thrive in local waters.

The decision to add clams to the restoration effort came about because of their ability to withstand red tide and their extended life cycle. Clams inhabit shallow flats and bays from Canada to Florida. They range in size from one to four inches wide and vary in color from gray to white. Depending on their size they are also known as cherrystone or littlenecks.

Unlike bay scallops, which have a maximum lifespan of 1.5 years and are sensitive to red tide, the southern hard clam lives up to 30 years and actually eats red tide, mitigating the harmful effects of the toxin.  An adult can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. In the filtering process, they also absorb assorted viruses, toxins and bacteria in the polluted water. Low levels of pollutants do not harm clams, and they are able to clean themselves when the pollutants are removed.

Scallops also are a favorite food for many marine animals and suffer from predation throughout their short life cycle. Adult clams feature a thick protective shell that is virtually predator-free (except for human harvesting).

These facts convinced SBW to mobilize its experience and team of enthusiastic volunteers to clam restoration as well.  The program is now in full swing with plans to begin a fresh effort in 2019.  START (Solutions to Avoid Red Tide) generously provided seed funding to create a matching challenge, while community funding rose to the task as well.  These donations, along with a gift from the Disney Conservation Fund, provided the springboard to kick-start this effort.

This past Saturday, SBW did its fifth release in Sarasota Bay and provided clams to Mote scientist Jim Culter, who is documenting and monitoring the effort.  The organization continues to gain experience and was assisted by Eagle Gulf Coast Distributors, which provided a refrigerated truck to transport the clams from Pine Island where they are being grown out. SBW partner, Larry Beggs, of Reef Innovations, once again provided his barge to assist in the transportation and distribution of the clams to their new home in Sarasota Bay. The effort was launched from the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, a longtime conservation partner.

SBW is excited by the prospect of clams improving our bays and increasing water clarity, which will in turn support healthier and more abundant sea grass. In addition, these adult clams will naturally reproduce. This will increase their stocks in our bays and waterways.

Sarasota Bay Watch is a grass-roots, non-profit, citizen-based organization dedicated to preserving and restoring Sarasota Bay’s ecosystem through education and citizen participation. You can become an active participant by volunteering in Sarasota Bay Watch’s on-going effort to protect and restore this valuable natural resource. Visit their site to learn more.

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