Feb 8, 2019 Sea Grant Notes

Water Quality

Health Advisories

• 2 stations were sampled on Feb 4 (FDOH)
• Both Bayou Texar and Sanders Beach were MODERATE
• 2019 data at end of these notes
• 2018 Health Advisory Report is now posted – https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2019/01/23/health-advisories-in-the-pensacola-bay-area-2018-report/.

Rainfall

• Rainfall collected weekly from East Hill (UF IFAS)
• Jan (2.1”)
• NOTE: Pensacola received 90” of rain in 2018 (FDAC); this is a 38% increase over the norm of 65”
• Pensacola received 90” of rain in 2017 as well (FDAC)

Red Tide

• No red tide reported in the Florida panhandle (FWC)
• Red tide continues to appear in background levels along the SW coast of Florida. There were some reports of respiratory problems.
• No reports from the east coast of Florida this week.
• Escambia County Division of Marine Resources will host a Seafood Safety Symposium Feb 11 at the COC; one of the presentations will discuss red tide (and other harmful organisms) and seafood safety; the event is free; begins at 5:00 PM; 3363 West Park Place

Fish Kills

• No fish kills reported from the Pensacola Bay area for February 2019 (FWC).

 

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 (UF IFAS – UWF). Visit https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2018/12/18/2018-seagrass-monitoring-report-for-santa-rosa-sound-and-big-lagoon/.
• OCEAN HOUR Clean Ups Feb 9
• – Bay Bluff Park on Scenic Highway
• – Chimney Park on Scenic Highway

Clean Ups begin at 9:00 and supplies are provided

Wildlife & Fisheries

 

• The state diamondback terrapin meets today, Feb 8, in Jacksonville; will give report afterwards.
• The 2018 diamondback terrapin survey can be found at https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2019/01/23/2018-diamondback-terrapin-panhandle-survey-report/.
• 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/. (UF IFAS)
• 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.
• Seafood Safety Symposium Feb 11 – The Escambia County Division of Marine Resources will be having their annual symposium at the COC building – 3363 West Park Place; begins at 5:00 PM; free

 

Invasive Species

 

• Feb 19 Lionfish Workshop and Feb 20 Artificial Reef Workshop – Sea Grant and FWC will be hosting these two back to back workshops in February. The workshops will be held at the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Ft. Walton Beach. Both are full day workshops – you can register for one or both at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-lionfish-and-artificial-reef-workshop-in-northwest-florida-tickets-54012951191
• Beach vitex – 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 vitex during January and February 2019.
• Giant salvinia – FWC is currently suspending all aquatic invasive removals using herbicides. They will host a series of public meetings to discuss the use of herbicides. Dates and locations TBA. Until then, citizens are asked to remove invasive from local waterways by hand. One local concern is Giant Salvinia. This plant has been found in the Jackson Lakes and upper reaches of Bayou Chico. It is still cold, but when temperatures warm – search for this plant and remove using a crab net (or something similar). Plants should be dried and bagged before disposal. This link has more about this plant. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/salvinia-molesta/.

 

Seafood

• Local Seafood in Peak Season for February

Clams (cultured), King Mackerel, Oysters, Pompano, Pink shrimp, Snapper (check

regulations on current harvest time), Spanish Mackerel

• Seafood Safety Symposium

Annual Seafood Safety will be held at the February Escambia County Marine Advisory Committee Meeting – Feb 11 – 5:30 PM – 3363 West Park Place – free

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 Pensacola Climate Task Force Report Carrie Stevenson UF IFAS Extension
• Feb 7 Urban Coyote Populations Elizabeth Heikkinen, 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, County UF Extension
• Oct 10 Online Fact vs. Fiction Jane Daugherty, UWF
• Nov 14 Bay Bridge & Artificial Reefs Robert Turpin, Escambia County

New Articles

 

• Deer Rut in Northwest Florida – deer hunting – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
• A Speedy Serpent; the Southern Black Racer – snakes – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
• Embrace the Gulf 2020 – celebrating the Gulf activities planning – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
• Underwater Dreaming – artificial reefs that are art – http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.

Upcoming Programs

• Feb 11 Seafood Safety Symposium – Escambia County Central Office Complex – 3363 West Park Place – 5:00 PM; free
• Feb 19 Regional Lionfish Workshop – Emerald Coast Convention Center Ft. Walton Beach FL – all day – $25/person (includes lunch) – register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-lionfish-and-artificial-reef-workshop-in-northwest-florida-tickets-54012951191
• Feb 20 Regional Artificial Reef Workshop – Emerald Coast Convention Center Ft. Walton Beach FL – $25/person (includes lunch) – register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-lionfish-and-artificial-reef-workshop-in-northwest-florida-tickets-54012951191
• Feb 24-Mar 2 National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) – UF IFAS Extension and the Six Rivers CISMA will be posting articles about local invasive species all week. You can find these articles at Panhandle Outdoors http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
• Mar 2 – Weed Wrangle – The Six Rivers CISMA will be having an invasive plant removal workday. This year we will be clearing invasive plants from the Blackwater Heritage Trail. More details on meeting location and what to bring forth coming.
• Mar 2 – Project Learning Tree – Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning, interdisciplinary, environmental education program designed for formal and non-formal educators working with students in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.

Pensacola State College – Milton Campus room #4309

5988 Highway 90, Milton FL, 32570

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Register at www.2019plt.evenbrite.com.

• Mar 8 – Roy Hyatt’s Night of Nature – This annual event will welcome the public to tour the facility at Roy Hyatt Environmental Center. There will be naturalist hikes down the trails, star gazing with telescopes, and live birds of prey and reptiles. There will be food, great for all ages. RHEC is at 1300 Tobias Road off of highway 97 in Cantonment. 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM. Free
• Mar 14 Science Hour; Emmanuel Point Shipwrecks – Nicole Grinnan, from Public Archeology, will discuss urban coyote populations and their issues; SCIENCE HOUR; Escambia County Central Office Complex – 3363 West Park Place; 6:00 PM; free

 

 

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	3	1	1	1
	Sanders Beach	1	2	2	2
Feb	Bayou Texar	0	1	0	0
	Sanders Beach	0	1	0	0

Health Advisory Frequency

Body of Water	# of samples taken	# of advisories issued	% frequency of advisories
Bayou Texar	6	1	.17
Sanders Beach	6	2	.33

Fish Kill Data provided by FWC

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