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
- Jul 13 – Bayou Grande, Bayou Texar, Big Lagoon SP (POOR) ADVISORIES ISSUED FOR BAYOU’S GRANDE AND TEXAR, Bayou Chico, (MODERATE), Sanders Beach, Perdido Key State Park (GOOD)
- Jul 14 – Big Lagoon SP, Casino Beach, Park East, Park West, and Quietwater Beach (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”)
- Jul (3.3)
Salinity
- The objective to see who has a MEAN, MEDIAN, and MODE 20‰ of higher for seagrass and scallop restoration.
- 2020 2nd Quarter Update
- > 20‰: Big Sabine, Old River, Bayou Grande, Little Sabine, Kees Bayou, Big Lagoon,
- < 20‰: Lower Perdido Bay,
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
- Report Date – Jul 10
- Red tide was not detected anywhere in the state of Florida last week
- HABs not detected in panhandle this week
Fish Kills
- No fish kills reported this week in Pensacola Bay area.
- No Fish Kills reported in Escambia / Santa Rosa for Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun
- Fish Kill reported at Navarre Beach in July – believed to be discarded baitfish
- Report fish kills to FWC at – https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/health/fish-kills-hotline/.
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 surveying for mangroves in the bay area. Paddle craft needed for this, paddleboard works best. If interested – contact me.
- OCEAN HOUR – Suspending all clean ups for the time being
Wildlife Monitoring Updates
- Terrapin Surveys – ongoing until Sep 30 – if interested contact me
- Horseshoe Crabs – will resume in the fall – Oct 1
- Barrier Island Cottonmouth Survey – ongoing until Sep 30 – 2 found – 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 – LOTS of reports this week. Some post-dated but needed none the less. Reports coming from the Gulf, the Sound, and Big Lagoon area. 34 reports since Jan 1
- – PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH SIGHTINGS (roc1@ufl.edu)
- – ALSO, APPORACH SHORE AND DOCKS SLOWLY WITH A LOOKOUT IF YOU CAN
- IT IS BIRD NESTING SEASON ON OUR BARRIER ISLANDS – please slow down
Invasive Species Updates
- Cuban Treefrog Records – there has been an increase in reports of these animals in our area. Read the following article to find out where and how to manage this before they become a bigger problem –
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2020/07/02/are-we-being-invaded-by-cuban-treefrogs-maybe/.
- 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 (Jul 21) Water Quality Management in Florida – Dr. Lisa Krimsky
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: Kipper Snacks (canned smoked herring) – Rhett Register
SEA GRANT OIL SPILL TEAM WEBINARS
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?” – Swamp Bay
Carrie Stevenson
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.
Embrace the Gulf 2020 – The Cephalopods
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 Gopher Tortoise
Continuing this series on Florida turtle.
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/category/natural-resources/.
What the “Devil” is That?
This huge creepy thing is crawling around the panhandle this time of year
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
What is the Wildlife Up to This Summer?
We know what deer and turkey do during the colder months – what about during the hot ones?
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
2020 Year of the Turtle – the Gopher Tortoise
The last in this series – we end with the gopher tortoise
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
Storm Season and Mosquitoes – the Double Whammy
We know wet periods generate mosquitoes – did you know the dry do as well? The double whammy
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/.
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 | 24 | 9 | 9 | .38 |
| Sanders Beach | 21 | 3 | 0 | .00 |
| Bayou Chico | 16 | 3 | 3 | .19 |
| Bayou Grande | 15 | 5 | 5 | .33 |
| Big Lagoon SP | 13 | 2 | 0 | .00 |
| Perdido Key SP | 15 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Casino Beach | 14 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Park East | 14 | 1 | 0 | .00 |
| Park West | 14 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Quietwater Beach | 14 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Ft. Pickens | 4 | 0 | 0 | .00 |
| Opal Beach | 4 | 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 | |
| Jul | 1 | NR | Baitfish at Navarre Beach; probably a discard |
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