February 28, 2020 Sea Grant Notes
FLORIDA MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM – FRESHWATER COURSE
Escambia/Santa Rosa Extension is offering the 40-hour Freshwater Course of the Florida Master Naturalist Program. Classes will meet on Tuesdays between Mar 24 – May 12. The course includes classroom sessions on the natural history of Florida’s Freshwater systems as well as field trips to local sites.
To view agenda and register visit – https://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/fmnp/fs20-07.html.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH OPENS MAR 1 THROUGH MAY 1
SPOTTED SEATROUT (Speckled Trout) OPENS MAR 1 IN THE WESTERN PANHANDLE
The new western panhandle zone includes state and federal waters from Escambia County to Gulf County BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE INDIAN PASS.
The bag limit for this zone is 3 fish/person/day.
LOCAL MANATEE WATCH REPORTING
As many know, there has been an increase in manatee sightings across the area. The Escambia County Extension Office, working with Escambia County Division of Marine Resources, will be tracking these sightings to determine when, where, and how often these animals are in our area.
If you see a manatee please contact me at the County Extension office (850-475-5230 ext. 111) or email me at roc1@ufl.edu.
REMOVING BATS BEFORE MATERNITY SEASON BEGINS
Bats select many different types of structures to roost in, including homes and buildings. Residents are allowed to remove bats from their structures UNLESS it is maternity season. This season runs from April 15 to August 15. If you need to remove bats, you should do so before April 15.
THIS UPCOMING WEEK
SEAGRASS AWARENESS DAY!
This is the 20th Anniversary of this awesome family event. Come out and enjoy games, activities, lessons, and education all focused on our local seagrass communities.
Mar 6
Shoreline Park South – Gulf Breeze
School visits from 10:00 – 12:00 PM
General public from 12:00 – 4:00 PM
Free
ROY HYATT’S NIGHT OF NATURE
This is another fun family event where kids of all ages will be able to see local reptiles, birds of prey, visit the new planetarium, star gaze outside, and participate in a night hike where educators will teaching about “creatures of the night”. A food truck will be present and there is a silent auction as well.
Mar 6
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center – 1300 Tobias Road Cantonment
5:30 – 8:30 PM
RIBBON CUTTING FOR NEW INNERARITY POINT PARK
Mar 6
Innerarity Point Park – 3835 Cruzat Way
10:30 AM
THIS WEEKS ARTICLES
2020 EMBRACE THE GULF – The Birds
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2020/02/21/embrace-the-gulf-2020-the-birds/.
2020 YEAR OF THE TURTLE – The Softshells
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2020/02/20/2020-year-of-the-turtle-the-softshells/.
Safe Boating Tip of the Month – Reducing impacts on aquatic plants and wildlife
New Spotted Seatrout Rules & 2020 Gulf Red Snapper Season Dates
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
Seagrass… It’s Alive!
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
COMING UP IN MARCH
ESCAMBIA COUNTY MARINE ADVISORY MEETING
Mar 9
5:30 PM
Escambia County Central Office Complex
3363 West Park Place
Room 104
PANHANDLE TERRAPIN PROJECT – WALTON COUNTY TRAINING
Mar 10
1:00 PM
Northwest Florida State College
100 College Blvd – Niceville FL
Sea Grant will be training local volunteers to participate in diamondback terrapin nesting surveys and tagging projects.
Free.
PANHANDLE TERRAPIN PROJECT – SANTA ROSA COUNTY TRAINING
Mar 16
4:00 PM
Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center
8740 Gulf Blvd – Navarre Beach
Sea Grant will be training local volunteers to participate in diamondback terrapin nesting surveys and tagging projects.
Free.
SCIENCE HOUR – WILDLIFE SANCTUARY OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Mar 19
6:00 PM
Downtown Public Library
This month Dorothy Kaufmann from the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida will discuss wildlife rehabilitation in the area.
Free.
FLORIDA MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM – FRESHWATER COURSE
Mar 24 – May 12; each Tuesday
8:00 – 3:00
This 40-hour course will cover the plants, animals, and ecology of Florida’s freshwater environments. In addition to class time there will be field trips to local steepheads, pitcher plant bogs, environmental centers, rivers, and the Mobile Delta. Course fees include all materials and trips.
Fee $230 – $295 (depending on materials ordered)
Link to registration is pending; more soon
Water Quality
Health Advisories
- FDOH is only monitoring Bayou Texas and Sanders Beach at this time
- Feb 24: Bayou Texar – GOOD
Sanders Beach – GOOD
- View all data below
Rainfall
- Rainfall collected weekly from East Hill (UF IFAS)
- 2019 rainfall total in East Hill was 47.5”. Rainfall for airport was similar.
- Jan (4.0) Feb (2.8)
Salinity and Rainfall
- Volunteers are monitoring salinity at 8 locations in the area to determine how excessive rainfall and run-off may be impacting water quality and restoration success. We will post quarterly results beginning April 1.
Longnose Killifish Monitoring
- Longnose killifish (Fundulus similis) have a low tolerance for low salinity waters. The absence of this fish in selected creeks MAY indicate run-off issues. Sampling is done quarterly, and reports will be posted.
Red Tide & Harmful Algal Blooms
- Last report was posted Feb 20 (FWC)
- Panhandle – detected at background levels in Bay County.
- SW Florida – detected in Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties
- East Coast of FL – not detected
- No HABs reported in the panhandle this week
Fish Kills
- No Fish Kills reported in January or February
- 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
- OCEAN HOUR Clean Ups Feb 29
- Payne Bridge over Bayou Texar – meet at boat ramp on Strong Street east of the bridge.
Clean Ups begin at 9:00 and supplies are provided
- Living Shorelines
The best time to have a living shoreline planted is the fall and winter. Contact me if interested in learning more.
- SEAGRASS AWARENESS DAY – Friday March 6
This is the 20th year of this awesome event. It will be held at Shoreline Park South in Gulf Breeze. The fun begins at 12:00 and runs until 4:00.
There will kid activities, food, games, prizes, and educational booths to learn about our seagrass communities.
- Seagrass Monitoring – training and dates TBA
- Mangrove Migration – surveys for mangroves in our area will begin late spring. If you think you have found one, please contact the County Extension Office.
Wildlife & Fisheries
- Panhandle Diamondback Terrapin Project
Seeking volunteers from Escambia to Walton County to participate in terrapin nesting surveys to help assess the status of this animal in our estuaries.
- – Escambia Training – TBD
- – Santa Rosa – Mar 16 – Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Center – 4:00 PM
- – Okaloosa – TBD
- – Walton – Mar 10 – Northwest Florida State College – 1:00 PM
If interested in participating, contact the Escambia County Extension office.
- Horseshoe Crabs
- – We are seeking sightings of horseshoe crabs in our area in hopes of finding nesting activity and participate in a tagging program. Horseshoe crabs will approach the beach during the high tides of the new and full moons each month. They are more active in spring and fall but could any month. Here are the full and new moons for the winter months.
Jan 9-13, 22
Feb 7-8
Mar 5-7, 31
- Barrier Island Snake Survey
Escambia County Extension will continue a series of snake surveys on Perdido Key to determine the frequency of occurrence for the Eastern Cottonmouth. Surveys begin in April and quarterly reports will be posted here.
- The Great Scallop Search
Each year the Sea Grant programs from the Escambia and Santa Rosa County Extension offices host a snorkel search for bay scallops. Volunteers are needed and many locations require a boat to access.
- – The Big Lagoon Scallop Search will be Saturday June 13. More details coming.
- The Great Scavenger Hunt
To celebrate NATIONAL ESTUARIES WEEK, Escambia County Extension will be hosting The Great Scavenger where we get local volunteers to search for protected species, species of concern, invasive species, and indicator species. This year the Scavenger Hunt will be September 12. More details coming.
- Manatee Watch
ESCAMBIA COUNTY IS NOT TRACKING MANATEES SEEN IN PENSACOLA BAY AREA. If you encounter one please contact us at (850-475-5230 ext. 111) or email roc1@ufl.edu.
You can also contact Dauphin Island Sea Lab at 1-866-493-5803.
- 2020 Gulf Red Snapper Season
June 11 – July 25; with a possible with a possible fall re-opening if quota allows.
- Gulf County (Port St. Joe) 2021 Scallop Season and Beyond
Aug 16 – Sep 24
- Removing Bats Before Maternity Season Begins
Bats select many different types of structures to roost in, including homes and buildings. Residents are allowed to remove bats from their structures UNLESS it is maternity season. This season runs from April 15 to August 15. If you need to remove bats, you should do so before April 15.
Invasive Species
- Weed Wrangle – Feb 29
To end National Invasive Species Awareness Week, Escambia County Extension will be hosting the annual WEED WRANGLE. This national event is a day of invasive plant removals. Locally we will be removing the invasive BEACH VITEX.
Gulf Islands National Seashore – Naval Live Oaks Visitors Center
1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway
8:00 – 12:00
Please bring: close-toed shoes, protective clothing, gloves, tools (lopers, shovels), and a water bottle. YOUTH MUST BE ACCOMPAINED BY AN ADULT.
- Florida Invasive Species Awareness Week – May 18-22
This year UF IFAS Extension will be providing Facebook LIVE broadcast of how to identify and remove selected local invasive species.
Monday May 18 – Feral Hogs
Tuesday May 19 – Giant Salvinia
Wednesday May 20 – Congongrass
Thursday May 21 – Air Potato
Friday May 22 – Regal Demoiselle
- Beach Vitex
- – Weed Wrangle – we are planning a removal workday for Feb 29 – Gulf Islands National Seashore / Naval Live Oaks – 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway – 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM – removing beach vitex – contact Rick O’Connor at the Escambia County Extension Office for more information.
- – If you think you may have this plant on your property and want advice on how to manage. Email me.
- Invasive Lionfish
- – 2020 Emerald Coast Open – pre-tournament is Feb 1 – May 13. Main tournament will be May 15-17. Registration for this event is at emeraldcoast.com.
- – LRAD (Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day) will be the weekend of May 15-17 at Destin Harbor.
- – Lionfish have been found near Ft. Pickens inside the pass. If anyone diving this area, or anywhere within the bay, and finds lionfish – please contact us and let us know.
- Regal Demoiselle
- – This is an invasive reef fish that has made its way to our area. We are currently developing an ID guide for this, and other potential invasive reef fish problems, for local divers. More on this ASAP.
- – If you find this fish on any of our reefs – please email me.
- Brown (Cuban) Anole
- – This is an invasive species that has become quite common near our coast lines. During the colder months these animals will gather under objects in the yard where they lower their heart and breathing rates awaiting spring. This is a good time to remove them.
Seafood
- Local Seafood in Peak Season for February
- – Clams
- – King Mackerel – safety issue with eating to much of this species; check website below
- – Oysters
- – Pompano
- – Pink Shrimp
- – Snapper – check state limits and accessibility; change frequently
- – Spanish Mackerel
- Seafood @ Your Fingertips – we will be offering this program in 2020; stay tuned for dates and locations
- Seafood Safety Program – Escambia County Marine Advisory Committee meeting – Apr 13 – 5:30 PM – more information on topics coming.
- Seafood Safety Guidelines – Escambia County Division of Marine Resources – https://www.myescambia.com/our-services/natural-resources-management/marine-resources/seafood-safety.
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 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .20 |
| Sanders Beach | 3 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
Fish Kill Data provided by FWC
| Month | # of Fish Kills reported | # of Dead Fish reported | Cause |
| Jan | 0 | 0 | |
| Feb | 0 | 0 |
0
