Jan 4, 2019 Sea Grant Notes

 

Water Quality

Health Advisories

• 2 stations were sampled on Jan 2, both were POOR and Health Advisories were issued
• Bayou Texar and Sanders Beach
• We will be posting the 2018 health advisory report soon; stay tuned
• We will also post rain gauge data this year; data will be collected weekly from East Hill

Red Tide

• There were no reports of red tide in any Florida waters this week

Fish Kills

• No fish kills reported from the Pensacola Bay area for January 2019
• In 2018, there was a total of 8 fish kills reported from Pensacola Bay area; 5 of those were during the month of January during a hard freeze. One occurred in May, only 4 fish, cause unknown. One occurred in October and another in December. Number of fish killed was unknown but species reported were alewifes and menhaden. Cause unknown. Alewifes are common bait and could have been a discarded by fishermen. They are sometimes confused with menhaden, which are susceptible to low dissolved oxygen issues.

 

Habitat Restoration

 

• Winter is a good time to plant a living shoreline; if interested contact me.
• The 2018 Seagrass Monitoring Report is up on our website. Visit https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2018/12/18/2018-seagrass-monitoring-report-for-santa-rosa-sound-and-big-lagoon/.
• We will be monitoring and surveying seagrass, living shoreline projects, and mangroves later this year; stay tuned for more info on how to get involved.
• OCEAN HOUR Clean Ups Jan 5
• – Naval Live Oaks Reservation; Gulf Islands National Seashore
• – Bob Sikes Fishing Bridge to Quietwater Boardwalk; meet at the Grand Marlin

Clean Ups begin at 9:00 and supplies are provided

Wildlife & Fisheries

 

• The 2018 diamondback terrapin survey should be posted soon; stay tuned
• The 2018 Great Scallop Search report can be found at https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2018/12/05/the-2018-big-lagoon-great-scallop-search-results/.
• Training for these citizen science surveys will be held in April; stay tuned for more
• We will also be introducing two new wildlife/fisheries surveys in 2019; one with horseshoe crabs and another with killifish; training dates for these TBD; stay tuned.
• The Escambia County Division of Marine Resources will be having their Annual Seafood Safety Symposium Feb 11, 2019. More on exact time and location soon.

 

Invasive Species

 

• Sea Grant and FWC will be hosting two back to back workshops in February. Feb 19 will be lionfish and Feb 20 will be artificial reefs. The workshops will be held at the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Ft. Walton Beach. Both are full day workshops. Registration information is coming.
• We are currently trying to remove beach vitex from Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. If you believe you have this plant – let us know. Will be removing during January and February 2019.

 

Environmental Literacy

 

• 2019 SCIENCE HOUR SCHEDULE; programs are held at the Escambia County Central Office Complex; 3363 West Park Place; they begin at 6:00 PM and are free
• – Jan 10 Online Fact vs. Fiction Jane Daugherty, UWF
• – Feb 7 Urban Coyote Populations Catherine Kennedy, FWC
• – Mar 14 Emmanuel Point Shipwreck Nicole Grinnan, Public Archeology
• – Apr 11 Beach Safety Dave Greenwood, Water Safety Chief
• – May 16 NW Florida Aquatic Preserves Beth Fugate, FDEP
• – Jun 13 Invasive Species Don Buchanon (FWC) Rick O’Connor
• – Jul 11 Mosquito Control Matthew Mello, Escambia County
• – Aug 8 Vibrio TBD
• – Sep 12 Genetically Modified Organisms Libbie Johnson, UF IFAS Extension
• – Oct 10 Climate Task Force Report Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
• – Nov 14 Bay Bridge & Artificial Reefs Robert Turpin, Escambia County

New Articles

 

• Man, What a Year for Natural Resources… 2018 – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
• Arbor Day is January 18, 2019 – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
• Wakulla Springs Offers the Biggest, and the Best, Natural Florida Experience – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.

Upcoming Programs

• Jan 16 Water Quality Presentation – Sierra Club Meeting – 6:00 PM downtown library – public welcome
• Feb 11 Seafood Safety Symposium – Escambia County Central Office Complex – 3363 West Park Place – time TBD; stay tuned
• Feb 19 Regional Lionfish Workshop – Emerald Coast Convention Center Ft. Walton Beach FL – all day – registration required and more information coming
• Feb 20 Regional Artificial Reef Workshop – Emerald Coast Convention Center Ft. Walton Beach FL – registration required and more information coming

 

 

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

 

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

Month	Water Body	Good	Moderate	Poor	Health Advisory Issued
Jan	Bayou Texar	0	0	1	1
	Sanders Beach	0	0	1	1

Health Advisory Frequency

Body of Water	# of samples taken	# of advisories issued	% frequency of advisories
Bayou Texar	1	1	1.00
Sanders Beach	1	1	1.00

Fish Kill Data provided by FWC

Month	# of Fish Kills reported	# of Dead Fish reported	Cause
Jan	0	0