Extension offices across the district are now slowly opening on a limited basis. Some essential programs are being provided with limited attendance and social distancing. It is still best to contact us by phone or email.

Water Quality Updates

Health Advisories

• Jun 22 – Bayou Chico, Bayou Grande, Bayou Texar, Big Lagoon SP, Johnson’s Beach, Perdido Key SP and Sanders Beach (all GOOD)
• Jun 23 – Casino Beach (MODERATE) – Park East, Park West, Quietwater Beach, Opal Beach, Ft. Pickens (all GOOD)
• See all data below

Rainfall

• Rainfall collected weekly from East Hill (UF IFAS)
• Jan (4.0) Feb (2.8) Mar (0.6) – Winter (7.4”)
• Apr (3.2) May (1.6) Jun (6.5) – Spring (11.3”)

Salinity

• The objective to see who has a MEAN salinity at or greater than 20‰ for restoration purposes.
• 2020 1^st Quarter Results
• > 20‰: Bayou Grande, Big Lagoon, Lower Perdido Bay, Old River
• < 20‰ at this time: Kees Bayou, Little Sabine

Longnose Killifish Monitoring

• Longnose killifish (Fundulus similis) is being used as an indicator of freshwater tributaries.
• Project on hold due to COVID-19

Red Tide & Harmful Algal Blooms

• Last report for RED TIDE was posted Jun 19 (FWC)
• Panhandle – not detected
• SW Florida – background concentrations in Sarasota County
• East Coast of FL – not detected
• HABs not detected in panhandle this week

Fish Kills

• No Fish Kills reported in Escambia / Santa Rosa for Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, or Jun
• Report fish kills to FWC at – https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.

Marine Science Academy – Washington High School – Fish & Water Quality Data – updated

http://whs-ecsd-fl.schoolloop.com/MarineScienceAcademy.

Habitat Restoration Updates

• Living Shorelines
• – We are not currently working on any projects; IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A LIVING SHORELINE – CONTACT US
• Seagrass Monitoring
• – We have begun monitoring in Big Lagoon. A few stations do need volunteers. Some stations will require a boat to access. If interested – contact me.
• Mangrove Surveys
• – We are ready to begin surveying for mangroves in the bay area. Paddle craft needed for this, paddleboard works best. If interested – contact me.
• OCEAN HOUR – Marine Debris Removal – Saturday June 27
• – Meet at 8:45 AM; clean ups are from 9:00 – 10:00 AM
• – Dog Park West – 1481 Ft. Pickens Road – Pensacola Beach

Wildlife Monitoring Updates

 

• Terrapin Surveys – ongoing until Sep 30 – if interested contact me
• Horseshoe Crabs – ongoing in June – contact me for best dates and times to search
• Barrier Island Cottonmouth Survey – ongoing until Sep 30 – update report in fall
• The Great Scallop Search – WE ARE PLANNING FOR THIS NOW – STAY TUNED
• The Great Scavenger Hunt – planned for week of Sep 13-19; one on Perdido Key, one on Pensacola Beach – stay tuned
• Manatee Watch – 1 manatee reported in Big Lagoon this week. 19 reports since Jan 1
• – PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH SIGHTINGS (roc1@ufl.edu)
• IT IS BIRD NESTING SEASON ON OUR BARRIER ISLANDS – please slow down

 

Invasive Species Updates

 

• Weed Wrangles – ON HOLD FOR NOW
• Lionfish
• – 2020 Emerald Coast Open – Sep 11-13 in Destin
• – Inshore Lionfish Surveys – on hold – IF YOU SEE ANY LIONFISH NEARSHORE OR IN THE BAY, PLEASE CONTACT ME
• The Great Scavenger Hunt – scheduled for the week of Sep 13-19; one on Perdido Key, one on Pensacola Beach

 

 

Seafood in Peak Season for July

• Rolling out of peak season
• – Softshell blue crab
• – Mahi-Mahi
• In peak season
• – Crawfish
• – Brown shrimp (bay shrimp)
• – Pink shrimp
• – Rock shrimp
• – White shrimp (Gulf shrimp)
• – Snapper – check state limits and accessibility; change frequently
• – Yellowfin tuna
• Beginning peak season
• – Flounder
• – King Mackerel – children, pregnant women should only consume one serving a week
• Seafood Safety Guidelines – Escambia County Division of Marine Resources – https://www.myescambia.com/our-services/natural-resources-management/marine-resources/seafood-safety.

Upcoming Programs

 

BITE SIZED SCIENCE WEBINARS

Florida Sea Grant is presenting short webinars are a variety of marine science related topics.

We will be going to a Tuesday-Thursday schedule for June and July. 3:00 PM CDT. Registration link http://bit.ly/bite-sizedscience

NEXT WEEK

Tue (Jun 30) Red Tides – More Than You Think – Capt. Betty Staugler

Thu (Jul 2) Marine Careers – Victor Blanco

 

SEAFOOD @ YOUR FINGERTIPS

Live broadcast of local seafood items and how to prepare them. The presentations will include cooking!

Each Wednesday – 5:00 PM – http://www.flseagrant.org/seafood/seafoodatyourfingertips/

This Week: Grilled Whole Fish

 

SEA GRANT OIL SPILL TEAM WEBINARS

The role of oysters in our estuarine ecosystem and the threats facing them— now on June 26, 2020, at 10:30 am CST/11:30 EST—https://gulfseagrant.org/oilspilloutreach/presentations/oysters-adapting-to-a-changing-gulf/

Breaking it down: Oil in the environment—July 14, 2-3:30 pm CST/3-4:30 EST— https://gulfseagrant.org/oilspilloutreach/presentations/breaking-it-down-oil-in-the-environment/

Every snow often oil, microbes, and sediment get together and sink, a seminar on marine snow—July 22, 1-2:30 pm CST/2-3:30 EST. https://gulfseagrant.org/every-snow-often-oil-microbes-and-sediment-get-together-and-sink/

 

Current Articles

 

Weekly “What is it?” – Mimosa

Carrie Stevenson

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.

 

Embrace the Gulf 2020 – The Bivalves

Continuing this series about the natural and cultural history of “The Pond”

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.

 

2020 Year of the Turtle – The Florida Red-Bellied

Continuing this series on Florida turtle.

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.

http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.

 

How are the Nutrients in Our Bay?

Discussion of Lakewatch volunteer nutrient data in lower Pensacola and Perdido Bays.

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.

 

 

HEALTH ADVISORY DATA

Enterococcus bacteria count rubric for health advisories (Florida Department of Health)

 

GOOD 0-35 colonies/100ml of sample

MODERATE 36-70 colonies/100ml

POOR 71> colonies/100ml

 

Health Advisory Frequency

Data provided by the Florida Department of Health’s Healthy Beaches Program

Body of Water	# of samples collected	# of POOR reports	# of advisories issued	% frequency of advisories
Bayou Texar	21	7	7	.33
Sanders Beach	18	3	0	.00
Bayou Chico	13	2	2	.15
Bayou Grande	12	3	3	.25
Big Lagoon SP	10	1	0	.00
Perdido Key SP	12	0	0	.00
Casino Beach	11	0	0	.00
Park East	11	1	0	.00
Park West	11	0	0	.00
Quietwater Beach	11	0	0	.00
Ft. Pickens	3	0	0	.00
Opal Beach	3	0	0	.00

 

 

Fish Kill Data provided by FWC (Escambia and Santa Rosa counties)

Month	# of Fish Kills reported	# of Dead Fish reported	Cause
Jan	0	0
Feb	0	0
Mar	0	0
Apr	0	0
May	0	0
Jun	0	0