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Tag: Sarasota

Reel Time: Celebrate the bay

Reel Time: Celebrate the bay

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

The communities that line Sarasota Bay are fortunate to have an active National Estuary Program centered right here in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

First named in the newly-minted Water Quality Act of 1987, the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program (SBEP) officially began in June 1989 as one of 28 estuaries in the United States that were named by the U.S. Congress as “estuaries of national significance.”

The SBEP is celebrating National Estuaries Week 2022 from Sept. 17-24. During the month of September, the public is welcome and encouraged to attend various events and opportunities to experience and learn more about the area’s critical local bays and waterways!

National Estuaries Week is celebrated every year to showcase the value of bays and estuaries in providing for local communities. An estuary is defined as an area where freshwater and saltwater meet. On the Gulf coast of Florida, estuaries provide habitat for over 70% of key recreational and commercial fish species including snook, redfish, snapper, grouper and mullet. Estuaries also support a host of birds, dolphins and manatees. They are the main driver of the local economy, elevating property values and underpinning local economies. Habitats like mangroves and seagrasses help reduce erosion and storm damage, and add to the overall quality of life here in Florida.

Here are a few of the activities the public can enjoy as they experience and learn about the Sarasota Bay Estuary.

Join SBEP and Oscar Scherer State Park on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Enjoy a free guided hike to Big Lake and learn about the efforts that go into protecting, restoring, creating and maintaining habitat for water quality and wildlife.

Check out Vertical Oyster Gardens (VOGs) on Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Bayfront Park in Sarasota. VOGs are oyster shells strung with lengths of rope that hang below docks. VOGs help add more habitat to our bays for sessile organisms – oysters, sea squirts and other marine organisms that grow attached to surfaces.

These VOGs have become more important as most shorelines in the greater Sarasota Bay area are “armored,” meaning that they have been engineered with seawalls, bulkheads, and riprap. This armoring reduces the habitat that is available for marine life. While oysters might settle on older concrete seawalls and wooden pilings, vinyl and other newer construction materials and coatings can prevent oysters and other sessile organisms from settling. These materials might extend the life of the seawall, but they severely reduce the amount of habitat available to oysters.

You have the opportunity at this event to learn about and build your own VOGs. Efforts by citizens help create habitat and contribute to our understanding of oyster distribution in Sarasota and Tampa bays.

These are just a few of the opportunities. For a full list and to sign up, visit the Sarasota Bay National Estuaries Week page.

Construction

Sarasota road work affecting travel to and from the Island

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Transportation.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Unsuspecting motorists have found themselves stuck in traffic backed up for miles recently as they traveled from Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key to  Sarasota. 

“I’ve never seen traffic backed up this far, this is unreal,” said Bradenton Beach resident Jim Haas. “I was going for dinner with friends in Sarasota and had to turn around and come home. I stopped at a store in Longboat and the guy working said his customers were reporting a two-hour wait to get through St. Armands Circle and across the bridge into Sarasota.” 

On Wednesday, Aug. 17, the traffic in Coquina Beach looked more like a Saturday during spring break than an August afternoon. Traffic was unusually heavy, but beach parking was virtually empty, likely due to people turning around after realizing going south was a futile effort. 

According to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the project causing the backups is the reconstruction of the signalized intersection on U.S. Highway 41 at Gulfstream Avenue. It is being replaced with a multi-lane roundabout. The project also includes installing a HAWK pedestrian crossing signal system, replacing the underground drainage structures, utilities, fiber optic, LED streetlights, reconfiguration of stormwater retention ponds and adding sidewalks and pedestrian walkways.

The project is being done in several phases with completion set for Fall 2022, but the current traffic pattern shift causing the most serious delays should flow better within several days to a couple of weeks. In the meantime, motorists can use a navigation app to check for delays, or avoid the construction area altogether using Cortez Road to U.S. Highway 41 into Sarasota.

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: Kids for Clean Water

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

All of us who live on the Gulf coast have been impacted by the recent red tide and the unprecedented death of dolphins, sea turtles, manatees and fish. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and jaded at the politics and seeming hopelessness of the situation. Living here and having the opportunity to enjoy and explore the region’s bounty fosters a unique appreciation for its riches. A mixed blessing of sorts, it also points out how vulnerable the marine resources are and can cultivate a desire to protect them so future generations can have the same opportunities they’ve had. That was the inspiration for Kids for Clean Water, an organization the goal of which is to give kids a say in the health of the environment they will inherit.

Tracy Freeman, editor of Edible Sarasota Magazine was visibly distraught as she related over lunch last June that her daughter Addy, age 11, had been in tears as she wrote a letter expressing her sadness at the images of dead sea life that permeated the news and social media. They were both looking for a way to make a difference.

“This is important to me because I want kids in the future to have the same experiences that I have enjoyed. If we don’t clean up our water, our wildlife will continue to die. Our sea turtles are dying because of all the plastic in the ocean; we have to stop using plastic straws. I want safe water so I can swim and go fishing with my Dad.” Addy Freeman, age 11.

Dawn Barbour, of Sarasota, expressed the same sentiment when her daughter Sadie related her experiences in school where sea turtles were the subject of their study. The kids were working on a project to educate their parents on the importance of helping turtles and the deaths in the red tide were distressing them. Dawn knew she wanted to do more when she heard Sadie make a comment based on a political ad she had heard on television.

“Kids for Clean Water means helping to save all of our beautiful dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, and fish. We can all do our part to help make sure all do our part to help make sure our waters are clean and healthy for us and for the marine life.” Sadie Barbour, age 9.

John Paul (J.P.) Brooker is well aware of the challenges we face. As the Ocean Conservancy’s Policy Counsel for the Fish Conservation Program, working on marine conservation issues in the southeast is a day job for him. This made him all the more passionate about protecting the waters for his family and future generations. His two daughters are still young, but they too love the beaches and the marine life that they’re just getting to know.

“My daughters are seventh generation Floridians. And as a passionate environmentalist and lover of Floridian wilderness myself, I am committed to instilling in them the sense of duty to be stewards of our states most precious natural resources, especially the watersheds and coastal ecosystems that make Florida such a unique and special place.”

“Since I could walk I’ve been swimming and fishing in Florida water, and I want my girls to be the same – that’s why I am proud to foster the conservationist spirit of my budding Floridian environmentalists, and why I am so excited that we have started up Kids for Clean Water.” J.P. Brooker for his daughters, Anne, 3, and Elizabeth, 4.

When the three met, the chemistry was perfect and led to the formation of Kids for Clean Water. The organization is new and in the process of obtaining their 501 3C non-profit status. They have established an email account, floridakidsforcleanwater@gmail.com, an Instagram account, and a Facebook page.

I don’t have any children, but having been blessed with over three decades on Florida’s west coast, I too want to make sure that future generations have the same opportunities I’ve had. That’s why I’m joining Kids for Clean Water’s efforts to protect and enhance Florida’s marine ecosystem. For the dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, fish and future generations. Will you?

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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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