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Tag: Sarasota Bay Watch

Reel Time: Sarasota Bay Watch active during red tide

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

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is committed to the health of the bay and has been working tirelessly to help people find ways to feel invested in working on improved habitat and water quality. Their work takes money and volunteers, and the organization has proven effective in raising awareness and funds while being hands-on through cleanups and restoration efforts. The recent Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic, was a sell-out and raised awareness and the funds necessary to continue their mission. Want to get involved? Following are upcoming events that depend on concerned citizen scientists, like you.

reel time New Pass Pier Cleanup
Sarasota Bay Watch Program Manager Ronda Ryan prepares to catalogue debris removed from Sarasota Bay during an underwater cleanup. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

The SBW Monofilament Cleanup is this coming Saturday, Oct. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron on City Island.

SBW has been collecting lost and discarded fishing line and gear from area waters for nine years to protect seabirds and other marine life. Marine debris cleanup is important to the organization’s mission. Volunteers can bring their boat, kayak, paddle board or just cleanup bridges, mangroves and shorelines in an area near them. Volunteers will receive lunch and some great camaraderie for their efforts.

Saprito Pier Underwater Cleanup:  Saturday, Oct. 20, 8:30 to 11 a.m., Sarasota

SBW is calling all certified divers, kayakers, and topside volunteers to clean the Tony Saprito Fishing Pier above and below the water! Removing marine debris and lost fishing gear will reduce bird and marine animal entanglement and ghost fishing while maintaining a healthy habitat and fishing environment for everyone. Sarasota Bay Watch collects data from recovered fishing gear and shares this information with NOAA and Ocean Conservancy to determine marine debris hot spots, fishing impact, and entanglement dangers. It partners with the city of Sarasota, the Sarasota PD Dive Team, and Scuba Quest for this exciting event.

Partner Events

North Jetty Cleanup with Suncoast Reef Rovers: Saturday, Oct. 13, 9:45-11:30 a.m., Nokomis

Sarasota Bay Watch has been partnering with the SunCoast Reef Rovers for three years assisting with collection and data. This collaboration has resulted in tons of marine debris being removed from the sensitive habitat and many entangled fish and crustaceans being freed. There is a need for divers, a limited number of kayakers, as well as topside volunteers. For information/registration contact Ken.Lackmann@fl.usda.gov.

Shoreline Shindig: Saturday, Oct. 13, Noon to 3 p.m., Riverwalk, Bradenton

SBW will be participating in this free event on the Riverwalk in Bradenton. There will be live music from the popular Passerine band and leading local food and beverage vendors. Hosted by START and Realize Bradenton, the event also will feature exhibits about our shorelines and coastal water preservation. This is a family event.

South Jetty Cleanup with SunCoast Reef Rovers: Sunday, Oct. 28, 9:45 to 11:30 a.m., Nokomis

The south Venice jetty is a fishing hot spot and attracts lots of locals and tourists and is considered a hotspot for marine debris. SBW works with SCRR providing diving, kayaking, and topside help to collect and categorize the underwater debris. This cleanup utilizes a lot of volunteers who help handle the large amount of debris that is brought to the surface. For information and registration contact Ken.Lackmann@fl.usda.gov.

Youth Ocean Conservation Summit: Saturday, Dec. 1, Mote Marine, Sarasota

At this yearly event, conservationists, both young and old from across the country, get together to empower young leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to launch ocean conservation projects in their local communities. The event allows young conservationists to work alongside their peers networking with marine conservation professionals.

The summit will feature exciting speakers, hands-on workshops, discussions on careers in marine conservation, opportunities to plan new or build on existing ocean conservation projects and the chance to meet other young people from across the country who are passionate about ocean conservation.

To stay in touch with SBW’s events check out its website. Get on the mailing list by contacting info@sarasotabaywatch.org.

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Reel Time: The good, the bad and the ugly

Reel Time: The good, the bad and the ugly

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

This past Sunday morning I launched my boat to check out the red tide situation and look for places to fish. In the process what I found both discouraged and encouraged me.  The condition of local waters is deplorable, but we’re blessed with access to some healthy water and fish just to the north along the edges of Tampa Bay.

I started on north Longboat and worked my way to Port Manatee in Tampa Bay. The boat ramp on Longboat was awash in dead sea grass that was thick with dead fish and horseshoe crabs. Longboat Pass and the Bay had a few dead fish but very little signs of life. The same held true for Palma Sola Bay and north to the mouth of Tampa Bay. I explored Perico Bayou and began seeing seabirds, mullet and some baitfish.

reel time red tide fish
Red tide might not be killing only local fish but other sea life as well including seagrass. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

On the west side of the river on the Bulkhead, I saw someone land a nice trout. Terra Ceia and Miguel bays looked normal with jumping mullet and diving terns. On the east side of the Skyway near Joe Island, the water was clear and full of life. I found similar conditions all the way to the port and in Clam Bar Bay and Bishop’s Harbor.

That’s the good news. On the way back, I decided to run the beach from Bean Point to Longboat Pass. That was a mistake. The water in the Gulf started out bad and got worse the farther south I went.  It was devoid of life, smelled terrible and you couldn’t see more than 6 inches deep.  On my return to the Bay, I noticed grass piled up all along the shoreline leading me to believe the red tide and anoxic conditions are killing seagrass too.

If you’re like me, you’re tired of and frustrated with the barrage of articles, newscasts and posts on the red tide bloom and would like to do something about it.  While there are many things about a red tide bloom we have no control over, there is something we do have control over – how we respond. That response includes actions we can take like the following. Sarasota Bay Estuary Program has compiled a list of eight things people can do personally to help keep the harmful and red tide feeding nutrients out of the bay.

  1. Reduce or eliminate fertilizer use;
  2. Properly dispose of pet waste;
  3. Keep leaves and grass clippings out of the bay – leave them on your yard as natural fertilizer;
  4. Keep rainwater out of the Bay. Direct downspouts into flower beds and the lawn;
  5. Drive less to lower nitrogen and CO2 emissions, which ultimately get into our waters;
  6. Keep your septic system in tip-top shape to avoid nutrient leaks;
  7. Plant native trees and plants to reduce irrigation and help soak up stormwater;
  8. Use a commercial car wash to reduce water use and manage wastewater disposal.

Secondly, we can join an organization like Sarasota Bay Watch that is working to restore populations of scallops and clams that benefit the Bay by filtering and cleaning the water column. Sarasota Bay Watch and other resource minded groups work to integrate youth outreach, experiences, education and leadership opportunities into their activities. This will help ensure that tomorrow’s leaders learn how to love and care for Sarasota Bay and our environment.

Thirdly we can educate ourselves and cast a vote for politicians that don’t put personal and corporate profits ahead of the health of the environment. If you do the research and keep an open mind, I believe the choice will be clear. Hopefully, if there’s the proverbial “pony under here somewhere,” it’s that we will pay attention to our power at the polls and will once again institute reasonable safeguards to our air and water.

Manatee County logo

County funding shellfish to fight red tide

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

BRADENTON – As red tide hit high levels last week in Anna Maria Island waters, Manatee County announced it is expanding a program that creates shellfish beds in local waters.

“Oysters and clams eat red tide for lunch and come back for a midnight snack,” said Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Recreation Department.

Red tide is an abnormally high concentration of algae, called a bloom, that emits a neurotoxin that kills fish, marine mammals and birds and causes respiratory problems in people, especially those with asthma and COPD. Red tide is thought to be made worse by fertilizer runoff from land.

It arrived in the Gulf of Mexico off Anna Maria Island on Friday, Aug. 3, the northern edge of a bloom that has lasted 10 months in southwest Florida, and has closed restaurants and caused fish kills and cancellations at local accommodations.

Shellfish like clams and oysters filter the water they live in, Gulf Coast Oyster Recycling and Renewal Program Executive Manager and START CEO Sandy Gilbert said.

“One oyster can filter nine to 50 gallons of water every single day,” Gilbert said, adding that local clams “do eat red tide.”

START (Solutions To Avoid Red Tide) is working with Sarasota Bay Watch on its clam seeding program in both the Manatee and Sarasota County portions of Sarasota Bay, and with the Chiles Group of restaurants, whose employees collect oyster shells in bins and take them to Perico Preserve, where they are cured, then made into oyster habitat at Robinson Preserve.

“In one year, we have accumulated 26 tons of oyster shells that are not in the landfill,” Gilbert said.

START was formed after a massive red tide bloom in 1995 devastated the local economy, and is a partnership among the Chiles Group, University of Florida IFAS Program, Gulf Coast Shellfish Institute, Manatee County Parks and Recreation Department and Waste Pro, the newest partner that will enable more restaurants to participate in the program, Gilbert said.

The program is supported by funding from the RESTORE Act, created to mitigate the devastation from the 2010 BP oil spill.

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Sarasota Bay Watch provides a vehicle for change

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

If you’re like me, you can’t help but be dismayed with the death and destruction of marine life that is occurring on the west and east coasts of Florida.

Pictures of dead fish, manatees, dolphin and even an immature whale shark can be so disheartening that one feels at a loss to be an agent of change. I’ve heard so many people express a feeling of helplessness and a desire to do something to address this tragedy.

Sarasota Bay Watch wants concerned citizens to know that they can provide a way for you to make a difference. Their stated mission is to create an awareness of our local waters that reflects the desire to have a hand in determining the future of this invaluable resource. Through Sarasota Bay Watch’s (SBW) many events, including island cleanups, scallop and clam restorations, education, caring for critical bird rookeries and underwater marine debris removal, community members can make a difference. None of this is possible without you.  While aesthetics is a big part of their mission, they also understand that a healthy bay provides jobs, attracts tourists, affects property values, commerce and is a critical basis of our economy. Helping keep the bay healthy, participating in and protecting it is an investment in our future and that of generations to come.

Reel Time
Donate and shop for some great gifts at Scallopalooza 2018 at the Sarasota Yacht Club.

Want to help? Here are ways you can make a difference and hy it is so important.

Support Sarasota Bay Watch’s scallop and clam restoration initiative by making a donation today. Shellfish naturally clean the water and are a food source for many other organisms.  To date SBW has planted over one hundred million scallop larvae and juveniles into bay waters. This summer they’re planting a quarter of a million clams in the bay waters with the help of volunteers of all ages. They’re also providing research opportunities and working with scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory and the Sarasota Estuary Program.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, Sarasota Bay Watch will be holding their major fundraising event Scallopalooza, It’s Clamtastic at the Sarasota Yacht Club. By buying a ticket, a table, donating to their silent/live auctions or writing a check you will be helping them to continue their invaluable work. Their motto sums it up, “A Healthy Bay is Everybody’s Business.”  Consider partnering with SBW by becoming a sponsor at any level. You can make a difference and be part of the solution. Contribute however you can, take part in the solution and educate yourself on the issues!

Sarasota Bay Watch restoring clams

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

Sarasota Bay Watch conducted its fourth large-scale planting of Southern hard-shell clams Saturday, June 16. Over 30,000 clams were transported from Pine Island Sound and loaded onto a barge provided by volunteer Larry Beggs of Reef Innovations. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner Mike Sole and his wife, Jeannie, attended the event to learn about the innovative approach that aims to replenish depleted local stocks while helping to clean the waters of Sarasota Bay.

Adult native clams were collected locally to obtain spawn for the restoration effort. Once plentiful in local waters, the clams proved difficult to locate. Sarasota Bay Watch has a partnership with a professional shellfish hatchery in Terra Ceia Bay on the southern shore of Tampa Bay. Bay Shellfish Company conditioned and spawned the native adult clams in late 2016.

On March 1, 2017, Sarasota Bay Watch purchased, at cost, 330,000 seed clams, each about the size of a little fingernail. A commercial clam farmer was hired to do the first round of what is called grow out in fine mesh bags anchored to the bay bottom. The clam farmer used seagrass beds on submerged land leased from the state of Florida in Charlotte Harbor. This clam farmer grew the seed clams for 70 days in fine mesh bags until they were transferred to larger mesh bags, dispersed on the bottom and overlaid with a protective cover net.

Reel Time clam restoration
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner Mike Sole pitches in to load clams on the deployment barge while talking to clam farming partner Dr. Aaron Welch. – John Ryan | Submitted

In May 2017, the seed clams were transferred to another clam farmer who maintains a lease in Pine Island Sound. There they grew for 12 months until they reached what is known as top neck size, approximately 2.5 inches or larger. The farmer, Carter Davis, is conducting a series of seven harvests over the summer, with a delivery of each harvest to Sarasota Bay Watch at his dock on Pine Island. Each harvest is about 3,000 pounds of clams totaling around 32,000 clams. The clams come out of the water at about 9 a.m., get transferred to a SBW rental truck at 10 a.m., and are driven to the Sarasota Sailing Squadron where they arrive at noon. Then they get transferred to a Reef Innovations work barge. Volunteers have them back in the water in Sarasota Bay by noon.

The whole program took Sarasota Bay Watch and scientific partner Mote Marine Laboratory approximately 18 months to complete and cost $20,000. Mote Marine Senior Scientist and Benthic Ecology Program Manager Jim Culter has created a series of experimental plots alongside SBW’s clam release areas to test a range of variables including hand planting of the clams versus dropping them on the bottom without planting, cover netting versus none, soft sand bottom versus hard packed sediment, and grassy versus sandy bottoms. From these experiments, the partners hope to learn how to make future restoration cycles more successful.

Sarasota Bay Watch Co-President Larry Stults hopes to scale up the operation in the future and may even grow more than they need, selling the excess in a profit-sharing arrangement with clam farmers. Ultimately, it is Sarasota Bay Watch’s hope that the program can become self-funding.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s restoration, a sustainable seafood lunch was held at the Mar Vista Dockside restaurant on Longboat Key. Attendees included FWC Commissioner Mike Sole and his wife, Jeannie; Dr. Aaron Welch, clam farmer and adjunct professor at the University of Miami; Dr. Bruce Barber, professor at Eckerd College and executive director of the Gulf Shellfish Institute; John Ryan, a SBW founder and Sarasota County natural resources expert; Dr. Larry Stults, co-president of Sarasota Bay Watch, board member of Gulf Shellfish Institute, Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida and START; Ed Chiles, Mar Vista owner and board member of Gulf Shellfish and START; and Courtland Hunt, SBW volunteer and videographer.

Chef Erik Walker prepared a delicious medley of local seafood including locally grown hard shell clams, mullet with an olive and white grape tapenade, frog legs and stuffed and fried squash blossoms. The meal was topped off with an organic blueberry cheesecake.

During the lunch, there was a wide-ranging discussion of restoration efforts, clam farming, sustainability and other conservation issues. WWSB Channel 40 in Sarasota aired coverage of the restoration before and after the event on the evening news.

Sarasota Bay Watch is planning three more clam plantings over the summer. To volunteer or donate to the cause, go to their website.

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Cleaning up the Sister Keys

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

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) conducted its annual Sister Keys Clean Up on Saturday, April 28. The event was hosted by the Chiles Group and held on the beach at the Mar Vista Dockside restaurant. On this beautiful morning, 80 volunteers organized by SBW Events Coordinator Ronda Ryan worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting 1,300 pounds of trash and 80 recyclable items.

At the start of the event, I, as Sarasota Bay Watch Chairman Emeritus, gave the volunteers a brief history of the Sister Keys. The islands 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.

After three years of lobbying, bake sales and two music in the park events, the group had only raised $50,000 towards the $1 million sale price. They then went to the town of Longboat Key, which needed additional open space for its comprehensive plan. The town consummated the sale in 1994, assuring the keys would not be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a two-acre wetland. In the last decade, 6-foot mangroves have grown from seeds recruited naturally from the waterways. The rest of the uplands have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida.

The cleanup would not have been possible without the support of The Chiles Group, Mar Vista and the town of Longboat Key. Longboat Key Manager Tom Harmer and his wife, Dee, attended and participated in the cleanup, and Longboat Key Marine Officer Nick Renno patrolled the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters.

There were many kayakers present and shore-bound volunteers were ferried to the island by local fishing guide Capt. Casey Lamb and village resident Mark McBride as well as SBW board members Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Steve Martin. Larry Beggs with Reef Innovations brought a barge where volunteers could offload their trash.

Back at the Mar Vista, volunteers created a human chain to load the debris into a truck provided by the town of Longboat Key. One of the people pivotal to the event’s success, James Linkogle, wasn’t able to attend. Linkogle and public works employees cleared and marked trails in the days leading up to the cleanup. Linkogle is projects manager for the Longboat Key Public Works Department.

Volunteers found a wide range of debris including a bed frame, boat cushions, umbrellas, life vests, a boat hull, a tackle box, multiple buckets, crab pots, fishing poles and buoys. All plastics and cans were collected in separate green bags and recycled.

At 11:30 a.m., everyone headed back to the Mar Vista where they were treated to a complimentary lunch of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, Caesar salad and all the trimmings. Before everyone left, SBW Co-President Larry Stults explained the mission of Sarasota Bay Watch, the motto of which is “A Healthy Bay Is Everybody’s Business.”

SBW has been conducting a scallop restoration project for many years and this year will be releasing 200,000 Southern hard-shell clams into bay waters. The clams are being raised by a clam farmer in Pine Island Sound and will, hopefully, kick-start the return of clams, which have been disappearing from bay waters.

At the end of the day, volunteers expressed their enthusiasm for a day of camaraderie, good deeds and a new appreciation for the importance of working to create a healthy bay.

Skiers Island

Sarasota Bay Watch leads island clean up

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Reel Time.

This past Saturday morning dawned bright and clear, a perfect day for fishing or any number of other outdoor activities. On this particular morning, I had the pleasure of spending time with a group of committed community volunteers, including close to 60 high school students, who had chosen to spend this perfect day participating in Sarasota Bay Watch’s annual Skier’s Island clean up. The event, now in its seventh year, is made possible by SBW volunteers and board members as well as students and teachers from Sarasota and Riverview High Schools. Participants from Riverview High School included 41 students from the school’s Marine Club, National Honor Society and Cornerstone Club. They were supervised by Katrin Rudge, the school;s biology teacher and head of the Marine Club. Eighteen students from Sarasota High school were led by Megan Ehlers, the school’s marine biology teacher.

All the participants met at Nora Patterson Park on Siesta Key, where they gathered the equipment for the cleanup as well as tools for removal of invasive species. A number of indigenous plants were also loaded for transportation to the island. Volunteers were transported to Skier’s Island aboard Sarasota High School’s floating classroom, the Carefree Learner, driven by Captain Randall Patterson. Other boats were captained by Sarasota Bay Watch Co-President Captain Steve Martin and board members Pepper Deitz and Ross Windom.  Also in attendance were SBW student board members Elizabeth Anderson and Delainey Deitz.

The event, which was originally limited to the clean-up of plastics and other debris, has now evolved to include the removal of invasive species such as carrotwood and Brazilian pepper and the planting of native sea grapes. SBW Administrator Ronda Ryan and her husband and SBW co-founder John Ryan assisted in this process by organizing the necessary equipment including pruners, chain saws, loppers, shovels and plastic bags.

Once on the island the volunteers broke up into teams each with a specific mission. Several groups donned gloves and protective gear and began to thin groves of carrotwood and Brazilian peppers. Leader John Ryan manned the chain saw and monitored volunteers who operated the hand tools including loppers and hand saws.

Once the trees were cut down, their stumps were treated with a glyphosate herbicide that was deployed in spray bottles. Other teams spread out on the island to pick up trash and recyclables. They separated items that were trash from other items that could be recycled. A third group concentrated on planting native sea grape trees. All the trees, potting soil, fertilizer and herbicide were sold to SBW at cost by Albritton’s Nursery. All other supplies were provided at cost by the Sarasota DG ACE Hardware Group.  During the morning, it was estimated the work teams cleared three areas in excess of 6,500.00 square feet and planted 12 new plants.

Sarasota Bay Watch President Larry Stults was extremely encouraged with what the volunteers accomplished and with the condition of the island. After seven years of events, the relative cleanliness of the island will let Sarasota Bay Watch reduce the number of people on trash patrol and let them shift the work load towards cutting and spraying invasive plants as well as planting native species. The group also will consider having a cookout and/or provide box lunches for post-work appreciation and bonding. SBW now has the experience, tools, supplies, partners, volunteers, boats and leadership to expand to multiple events during the year.

Scallopalooza

Scallopalooza fundraiser ‘clamtastic’

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

Sarasota Bay Watch’s annual fundraiser, Scallopalooza, on Saturday, Sept. 23 was once again a big success. SBW is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and the occasion brought together friends, partners, sponsors and supporters who have an interest in a healthy bay. The event, held at the Sarasota Yacht Club, was a sellout. The gala featured a silent auction and a sumptuous feast which included sustainably farmed clams for an appetizer.  Organizations and partners included the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Reef In local Innovations, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota Police Department, Reef Ball Foundation, Gulf Shellfish Institute, The Chiles Group restaurants, Scuba Quest, Bay Shellfish Company, Two Docks Shellfish and many more.

Notable guest speakers included Jon Thaxton, Stevie Freeman-Montes and Sandy Gilbert.  Vice President for Community Investment of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and a longtime local resident Jon Thaxton shared fascinating stories of Sarasota’s coastal heritage. City of Sarasota Sustainability Manager Stevie Freeman-Montes spoke about building a sustainable community. Sandy Gilbert, the executive director of START, spoke of SBW’s decade of work improving the bay and announced a $3,000 grant as a match challenge to double the impact of donations from attendees.

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation and individual donor Peter Powers each added $1,000 to the match challenge, bringing the challenge total to $5,000. Attendees also rose to the challenge, helping SBW raise enough funds to support a year’s worth of volunteer events and continue its scallop and clam restoration programs.

Finn Johnson, a Pine View School junior and a SBW student board member, addressed the audience, sharing highlights of SBW’s 10 years of service restoring and protecting the bay. Over the past decade SBW has hosted annual scallop searches, bay island restorations, removed fishing line from bird rookeries and conducted underwater diver-based cleanups, as well as promoting marine habitat creation, developing youth leadership opportunities and engaging in community outreach. SBW’s scallop restoration program has resulted in over 100 million larvae being released into the bay and a new restoration program is growing a quarter of a million southern hard-shell clams to help repopulate Sarasota Bay.

These are remarkable accomplishments for an all-volunteer group that depends primarily on small local donations of expertise, time, materials and funds. The last decade has proved that seemingly impossible objectives can be reached when a community pulls together. You can join the effort to restore and protect our irreplaceable marine environment by participating and making an online donation here.

Scallop Search

Tenth annual scallop search defies odds

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

Sarasota Bay Watch’s annual scallop search is the organization’s signature event.

Designed to help scientists monitor scallop populations and engage citizen scientists, it is also the organization’s most popular. This year was the 10th anniversary, and more than 35 boats and 128 volunteers registered to participate. The weather was a big concern and organizers were wondering how to proceed when the forecast changed, showing only a relatively small chance of rain.

Unfortunately, the weather guessers got it wrong and the skies opened up after the captain’s meeting just as participants were heading out on the water. For most of the morning heavy rain and thunderstorms pummeled the bay making any efforts to conduct a search seemingly impossible. I say “seemingly” because despite the odds a number of volunteers and boats showed up and made a valiant effort to hunt for scallops.Sarasota Bay Watch

Despite the storm, 10 months of red tide, and an extremely rainy season, two live scallops were located. In total 53 percent of the quadrants were not searched.

While some voiced concern about the small number of scallops found in the past few years, Steve Geiger, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who was present for the search, encouraged organizers and volunteers to continue. He indicated that local restoration and monitoring efforts are important in boosting scallop population to fill gaps from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor.

What the tenacity of organizers and volunteers did show was a willingness to push forward with the important event despite the bad weather. They came out and brought their boats and families out in the rain and inclement weather to work for the bay. Even at the conclusion of the search members and volunteers that had been soaked on boats stuck around and chatted with friends outside for a few hours watching the weather on the water.

Sarasota Bay Watch’s event coordinator Ronda Ryan was particularly touched by the resolve of all involved.

She stated, “After being out for half a day in very stormy weather and having plans changed due to weather, I receive multiple texts in the evening with comments that included, ‘Thanks for a great day,’ ‘We had a great time,’ ‘Sorry we couldn’t get out and do the search,’  ‘Looking forward to doing the search next year!”

I was impressed that people came by boat from as far as north Anna Maria Island, that many boats offered to take extra volunteers and that even a group of kayakers volunteered and participated.”

The participants that did brave the conditions took extensive notes on the health of the grasses and the marine organisms and animals they spotted. The scope of those who participated and supported the search included the FWC, Carefree Learner, Sarasota County, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Anna Maria Island Sail and Power Squadron, New College Bull Sharks Dive Club, Mote Marine Laboratory, Scuba Quest and Aqua Lung. Local schools were also represented including Sarasota High School, Pine View School, Sarasota Military School, Cardinal Mooney High School, and Riverview High School.

At the end of the event, participants were served lunch by Sarasota Bay Watch Board member Steve Martin and refreshments were provided by the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. The dedication of the volunteers didn’t stop there. Federico Vasquez, Brook Langston and their party were headed home when they spotted a pelican entangled in fishing line on the New Pass Bridge. The party stopped, rescued the bird, cleared the monofilament from the bridge fender and took the injured bird to the Save Our Seabirds facility on City Island.

Visit Sarasota Bay Watch for information on the organization and upcoming events.