U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Coastlines
April 2003 - Issue 13.2
Information about Estuaries and Near Coastal
Waters
Table of Contents
Sarasota Bay NEP Restores Reef Habitat
Census of Breeding Birds in the Maryland Coastal
Bays
Horseshoe Crabs: Living Fossils in Peril?
New Hampshire Juvenile Clam Studies Provide
Insight into a Roller Coaster Population
"Life on the Edge": A Town Meeing Approach to
Outreach at the Jacgues Cousteau NERR, New
Jersey
Submerged Aguatic Vegetation Being Restored in
Chesapeake Bay
Controlling Bacterial Contamination in Barnegat Bay,
New Jersey
Massachusetts Bay National Estuary Program: A Multimetric Approach to
Monitoring Coastal Wetlands in Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays
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Fish Flash!
EPA Celebrates American Wetlands Month
Coastal Zone '03: Coastal Zone Management Through Time
Technology vs. Nature: The War on Red Tide!
Celebrating the Clean Water Act 30th Anniversary, October 2002 - 2003
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Sarasota Bay NEP Restores Reef Habitat
In Sarasota Bay, Florida, the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program (SBNEP) has
identified five major problems: stormwater, wastewater, fisheries, recreation, and
habitat loss. The 1995 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan
(CCMP) cites nutrient loading, metal contamination, wetland loss and loss of
submerged aquatic vegetation as major concerns. Nutrient loading of Sarasota Bay
in 1988 was approximately 400% greater than expected from a pristine
undeveloped watershed, while metal contamination was significant. Since the
1950s, approximately 4,700 acres of bottom habitat in Sarasota Bay have been lost
due to dredging and other activities, and 39% of tidal wetlands and 30% of the
seagrass coverage has been lost. The CCMP also called for public education, Bay
management, and further technical studies.
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To restore subtidal habitat, the SBNEP has embarked on a program to construct
artificial reefs. Such reefs provide valuable habitat for fish and other marine
organisms, enhance recreational and commercial fisheries, and help to increase
public awareness regarding natural resources in Sarasota Bay.
A Fishery Habitat Enhancement Task Force
determined the best sites for artificial reefs in
Sarasota Bay and the best methods and materials to
use. This interagency project involves Manatee
County, Sarasota County, the Southwest Florida
Water Management District, the Manasota Basin
Board, and the SBNEP. Artificial reefs were
permitted in upper Sarasota Bay and northeast of
Anna Maria Island. Over the past 6 years, over 2,000
placed by the SBNEP and other organizations.
Volunteer and educational organizations have also helped to install reef balls to
restore reef habitat and raise awareness of Sarasota Bay. Reef balls have been
used elsewhere in Florida to create artificial reefs (see Coastlines February 2000).
The "Bay Balls" are concrete reef modules approximately 3 feet across and 2 feet
high and weigh about 400 lbs. Other reef balls were modified by adding a ledge
habitat to attract and support gag grouper.
reef structures have been
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The deployment of such reef modules provides an opportunity to do valuable
research on restoring the Bay bottom. Although researchers have studied the
effectiveness of artificial reefs in offshore areas, very little research has been done
on the effectiveness of nearshore artificial reefs. The SBNEP and its partners
placed reef modules in clusters of various sizes and is monitoring these to
determine optimum size and grouping of modules. The large number of reef
modules will enable SBNEP to gather statistically significant data on effectiveness
of reef restoration using reef balls.
During 2002, the SBNEP surveyed several established artificial reefs in Sarasota
Bay. Over 25 fish and invertebrate species were identified, including gray snapper,
gag grouper, sheepshead and stone crab. Although fish were abundant in the
vicinity of the reefs (as attested by local fishermen), species diversity was low. A
variety of artificial reef types would probably be needed to increase species
diversity.
The SBNEP is also studying artificial structures
that would provide juvenile fish nursery habitat.
An early pilot project showed the potential value
of deploying artificial reefs along hardened
seawalls (e.g., seawalls and rip-rap); some types
of structures had fish aggregations more than
100 times that of nearby areas that had no
artificial reefs. In a recent shoreline survey,
researchers found that over 200 miles of
armored and altered shoreline exist. Altered shorelines typically do not provide
enough complex or suitable habitat for fish.
The SBNEP and its partners are working to enhance habitat along altered
shorelines by installing artificial reefs along shorelines and under docks (where
feasible and permittable). Some reef modules may be provided to neighborhoods or
municipalities through grants for reef placement along privately owned waterfront.
Researchers will also study the value of using reef modules to restore the intertidal
zone and to grow oyster beds. The SBNEP is working on obtaining "blanket"
permits for neighborhoods and municipalities, to facilitate restoration.
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Different types of artificial reef structures will be
evaluated for their ability to provide fish habitat,
cost effectiveness, and feasibility of
deployment. They will be monitored to see how
effective they are in increasing numbers offish
and biodiversity, whether they attract fish from
other nearby areas, and whether the reefs are
promoting survival of juvenile fish. The SBNEP
hopes to restore reef habitat throughout the
Bay, by partnering with private individuals,
organizations, and government agencies. By
fostering research and education and
involvement by local diving groups, the SBNEP
hopes to raise public awareness of the value of
a restored Bay.
For further information, contact Gary E.
Raulerson, Senior Environmental Scientist, Sarasota Bay National Estuary
Program, 5333 N. Tamiami Trail, Suite 104, Sarasota, FL 34234; Phone: 941-359-
5841; Fax: 941-359-5846; Email: Gary Raulerson@ci.sarasota.fi.us; Website:
www.sarasotabav.org |t;xirdi«i,¦«.»>!
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Q
W
U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Census of Breeding Birds in the Maryland
Coastal Bays
This year, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program will be helping out with an ambitious
project to measure changes in breeding bird populations in the watershed.
In 1983, the Maryland Ornithological Society
and other conservation groups gathered
researchers and volunteers from around the
state to conduct a 5-year survey of breeding
birds in Maryland. In 1987, this landmark effort
culminated in the 500-page Atlas of the
Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of
Columbia. For each avian species, the atlas
describes habitat requirements, distribution,
abundance, and nesting characteristics. To
help show trends, the atlas tracks historical
distribution data starting in the mid-1800's,
relative abundance, and past trend information.
For this second highly touted Ornithological Society effort, the Coastal Bays
Program is contributing funding and volunteer staff time to study breeding birds in
Worcester County. With the most diverse bird population in Maryland, the county
and the coastal bays watershed are of particular interest to researchers. In addition
to providing breeding habitat, Worcester County lies in the primary north-south
migratory corridor along the East Coast for migrating ducks, raptors, wading birds
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and songbirds.
In 1983, the survey showed that Worcester County not only had more avian
species, but had more rare, threatened and endangered species than any county in
Maryland. In this next round, scientists expect increases in several southern
species and decreases in forest- and grassland-dependent species due to
increased development. Pelicans, ibis, certain egrets and some songbirds continue
to spread north as global temperatures increase.
Now, 20 years later, the time has come to again take a census of
breeding birds in the state. Have their distributions changed? Are
populations increasing or decreasing and why? Do certain habitats
need to be protected?
The Coastal Bays Program hopes that new information on bird
populations will help in updating management goals enumerated
in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the
Coastal Bays. Some 20 management plan strategies deal directly with protecting
bird species, and over 100 focus on preserving and restoring forest and wetland
habitats. But without sufficient up-to-date data on individual species, scientists and
managers have found it difficult to protect individual species. For example, requests
to foresters and farmers to better protect habitat through the use of vegetated
buffers and modifying forest-cutting practices have met with resistance. Updated
information would help resource managers to persuade landowners that protection
is needed.
The first breeding bird atlas was published some 35
years ago when the British Trust for Ornithology
completed the first 5-year study of breeding birds in
1968. In 1975, the first North American atlases were
completed for two Maryland counties, and in 1976, the
first state atlas in Vermont was completed. Since then,
nearly the entire continent of Europe has been surveyed
for breeding birds, along with most of North America,
including 36 states.
In Maryland, as in most states, study areas comprise 10 square miles and contain
one or more observers. Each observer will spend 40 hours over the next five years
observing and documenting breeding birds and classifying them as possible,
probable, or confirmed based on 17 categories of behavior.
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The work is highly touted in the coastal bays
watershed because Worcester County has an
abundance and diversity of bird species. In the
1983-1987 breeding bird survey, Worcester
County had more of the following species
breeding than any other county in Maryland:
great and snowy egrets, little blue, tri-colored,
and black-crowned night herons, northern
harriers, clapper rails, American
oystercatchers, willets, laughing gulls, herring
gulls, great black-backed gulls, gull-billed terns,
royal terns, common terns, Forster's terns,
least terns, black skimmers, chuck-wills-
widows, red-headed woodpeckers, boat-tailed
grackles, seaside sparrows, salt marsh-tailed
sparrows, summer tanagers, Louisiana
waterthushes, ovenbirds, worm-eating,
prothonotary, black and white, prairie, and
yellow-throated warblers, yellow throated vireos, blue-gray gnatcatchers, Carolina
wrens, brown creepers, and brown-headed nuthatches. A coastal bays habitat plan
that is being developed will use the 2007 results to develop recommendations for
habitat protection and improvement.
For further information, contact Dave Wilson Jr., Public Outreach Coordinator,
Maryland Coastal Bays Program, 9609 Stephen Decatur Highway, Berlin, MD
21811; Phone: (410) 213-BAYS; Email: outreach@mdcoastalbavs.org
For further information on the atlas, contact Walter Ellison at rossqull@crosslink.net
or call 410-778-9568. The Maryland website is www.mdbirds.org/atlas.html or check
on atlases in other areas at www.americanbirding.org/norac/. |i;xiTP7>i
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Q
W
U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Horseshoe crabs: living fossils in peril?
Gretchen Ehlinger has heard the stories from
fishermen and old-timers living along the Indian
River Lagoon in Florida: masses of horseshoe
crabs so thick they resembled one immense,
shape-shifting organism scuttling along the
lagoon floor.
"People tell me that there used to be thousands of horseshoe crabs in the lagoon,"
Ehlinger says. "We're not seeing that anymore."
Very little is known about the Indian River Lagoon horseshoe crab population, but
there has been a noticeable decline in their numbers over the past 20 years. That
worries Ehlinger, a doctoral candidate at Florida Tech who is wrapping up a five-
year study of these enigmatic creatures.
"Horseshoe crabs have been around for millions of years without having to change
much at all," Ehlinger says. "All of the sudden, they're having problems. This is
worrisome because they're a good indicator of the health of the lagoon."
Despite its name, the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus,belongs to the phylum
Arthropoda and is more closely related to spiders and scorpions than it is to true
crabs and crustaceans.
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Horseshoe crabs are key players in the lagoon's
complex food chain because their eggs are a major
food source for juvenile sea turtles, migrating
shorebirds, and many species of fish. Along the
Atlantic coast, reproduction of horseshoe crabs is
predictable in that the females generally spawn on
gently sloping shorelines at high tide on the new
moon and full moon in the spring.
Ehlinger's research has revealed that the horseshoe crab population in the lagoon,
by contrast, does not follow the same pattern of spawning and larval hatching as
seen elsewhere, most likely due to the lack of tidal influences.
"Although the horseshoe crabs in the lagoon are spawning, but it's sporadic,"
Ehlinger says. "This makes it more difficult to determine why the horseshoe crab
population is declining."
A number of factors may be contributing to the decrease of horseshoe crabs in the
lagoon: loss of habitat, an increase in muck and sediment, and human takings.
A few years ago, fishermen were seen loading truck beds full of horseshoe crabs
for use as eel bait. This unchecked ravaging of horseshoe crabs likely impacted
their populations, especially given the fact that it takes 9 to 12 years for them to
reach maturity.
"The problem we're seeing now isn't just something that is happening now,"
Ehlinger says. "It's something that happened 10 to 20 years ago. There's a time lag
between the cause and effects upon the population."
Meanwhile, Ehlinger is raising and studying horseshoe crabs in a lab at Florida
Tech and sharing information with specialists in South Carolina. Canaveral National
Seashore, which helped fund her research, will use the fruits of her labor to better
protect and manage horseshoe crabs in Mosquito Lagoon.
"People don't realize how critical they are to the environment," Ehlinger says. "The
more we learn about them, the better our chances of ensuring their survival in the
lagoon."
For further information, contact Gretchen Ehlinger, Florida Institute of Technology;
Phone: (321) 674-7983, Email: ehlinqer@fit.edu
-------
U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
New Hampshire Juvenile Clam Studies
Provide Insight into a Roller Coaster
Population
Hampton Harbor in New Hampshire is known as the State's best bet for harvesting
soft-shell clams, at least during some years. But in the past 30 years, the Hampton
Harbor tidal flats, located about 45 miles northeast of Boston, have experienced
dramatic highs and lows in standing stocks of clam populations. These have ranged
from a high of 27,000 bushels in 1997 to less than 1,000 bushels in 1978 and 1987
(see chart). Overharvesting was suspected as the cause of these fishery crashes;
however, recent studies suggest that there may be more to the story.
In 2001, the New Hampshire Estuaries Project
(NHEP) called for proposals to "determine the
cause(s) of juvenile soft-shell clam mortality in
the Hampton/Seabrook Estuary". The NHEP
wanted a research team to focus on
understanding the causes of juvenile clam
mortality because previous surveys suggested
that clam larvae were settling in the harbor's
substrate, but juvenile clams were not being
recruited to the adult class. Researchers,
clammers, and managers had compiled a list of possible causes for the juvenile
clam mortality that included disease, human disturbance, winter kill, pollution,
competition with other bivalves, and/or predation from wildlife.
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Clam Standing Stock in Hampton Harbor
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20 000
| 15,000
EE
10.000
5.000
0
Dr. Brian Bea! at the University of Maine at Machias was
awarded the contract to conduct field research at three
clam flats in Hampton Harbor. To understand what was
happening to juvenile clams, Dr. Beal employed a series
of field experiments from November 2001 to July 2002.
He placed hatchery-reared, juvenile clams into 6-inch
plastic plant pots filled with sediments from each flat,
which were then buried to their rims in the tidal flats. Half
the pots were stocked with high densities of clams to
determine whether crowding affected survival. To assess
effects of predation, Dr. Beal placed flexible plastic
netting over some of the pots to exclude predators. He
collared other pots with netting that extended 1 inch
above the rim to contain clams dislodged by sediment
erosion. Altogether, 360 experimental pots were placed
in the harbor from November through March, and
another 360 pots for the period from March to mid-July.
Wild and experimental clams were also tested for hematopoietic neoplasia, a
common clam disease, to determine whether disease could account for diminished
adult recruitment. The experiment was also designed to address potential
differences in clam growth and survival with respect to tidal range.
1967 1971 197S 1975 1977 1979 1961 1963 19B5 19B7 1969 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999
Year
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Dr. Beal's studies suggested that sediment erosion by tidal and wind currents and
predation by crustaceans, primarily green crabs, were significant factors that
increased juvenile clam mortality. Strong currents dislodged many of the
experiments and the unprotected clams were washed away. Predation by the non-
native green crab (Carcinus maenas L.), a notorious juvenile clam predator, was
observed in unprotected pots and pots with torn protective screening.
Dr. Beal's study is not the final step in
understanding Hampton Harbor's clam stocks.
More work needs to be done to quantify the
effects of recreational clam harvesting, clam
stocking, competition with other bivalves and
other factors that will become apparent as
work progresses. Dr. Beal's study represents
the first experimental study in Hampton Harbor
that tests specific hypotheses about local clam
populations to offer resource managers
quantitative data that may inform management
For further information, contact Dave Kellam, Project Assistant, New Hampshire
Estuaries Project, 152 Court Street, Suite 1, Portsmouth, NH 03801; Phone: (603)
433-7187; Fax: (603) 431-1438; Email: dave.kellam@rscs.net
decisions.
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
"Life on the Edge": A Town Meeting
Approach to Outreach at the Jacques
Cousteau NERR, New Jersey
RUTGERS
MARINE & COASTAL
SCItNCES
Jacques Cousteau was a pioneer in both oceanography and
marine education. With his filmed documentaries of deep-sea
exploration, he brought the mysteries of the ocean into our living
rooms and classrooms. Living up to his legacy, the Jacques
Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JCNERR)
recently opened its new Visitor Center in the Yacht Club of the
Tuckerton Seaport, in Tuckerton, New Jersey. The new Visitor's
Center is appropriately called "Life on the Edge". The project
was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, in collaboration with the Tuckerton Seaport,
JCNERR, and the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at
Rutgers University, which manages the JCNERR.
The JCNERR encompasses over 114,000 acres in
southeastern New Jersey, including a great variety of terrestrial,
wetland and aquatic habitats within the Mullica River-Great Bay
ecosystem. The Reserve is a patchwork of federal and state lands managed in
partnership with a variety of agencies, which has in turn created opportunities for
partnering in coastal outreach, as evidenced by the new Visitor's Center. Like the
25 other NERRs located throughout the U.S., the JCNERR was created to promote
the responsible use and management of the nation's estuaries through scientific
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research, education, and stewardship.
With little more than 1% of the Reserve
subjected to human development, this area
is one of the least disturbed estuaries in the
densely populated urban corridor of the
Northeastern United States. The Mullica
River-Great Bay estuary is of special
ecological value, as it is includes the New
Jersey Pinelands forested ecosystem,
coastal plain, salt marsh and barrier islands.
The Jacques Cousteau Reserve hopes to
preserve these high quality habitats and
provide long-term research and monitoring to
better understand and maintain the
ecological health of these ecosystems.
"Life on the Edge" exhibits promote these
goals by providing visitors with an
understanding of the Mullica River-Great Bay
Estuary ecosystem. Just as importantly,
however, the exhibits create an inspiring, truly memorable visual and interactive
experience that fosters a sense of stewardship and responsibility for the health of
our estuaries.
The JCNERR also works closely with the coastal management community to
ensure that the best science is available to help make informed decisions
concerning New Jersey's coastal resources. By providing workshops and now the
new Visitor's Center and its innovative approach to coastal outreach, marine
educators can bring together the public, researchers, scientists and decision-
makers to address tough problems such as managing land use while protecting
natural resources.
"Life on the Edge" has been designed as a virtual walk through the estuarine
system, from the headwaters of the Mullica River, through the Pinelands, into the
Great Bay salt marsh ecosystem, and out nto the open ocean. Visitors can come
face-to-face with these habitats and experience the cutting-edge science that takes
place within the Reserve - through video interviews with scientists in the field, new
aerial footage of the reserve, and an orientation area for families, school groups,
and other visitors.
A unique feature of "Life on the Edge" is that visitors can participate in an exciting
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new "Town Meeting" interactive experience. Here they can hear about different land
use development scenarios and form their own opinions about how the land inside
and outside the reserve should be used. Through this "Town Meeting" approach,
the public can learn about coastal issues that New Jersey coastal managers could
potentially face. Examples include fishing restrictions, marina development,
dredging, increased agriculture, and timber harvesting in coastal watersheds.
Stakeholders often have strong opinions concerning the pros and cons of the issue
and its effects on the estuary. Coastal decision makers must weigh these issues
and opinions, and balance scientific facts with human values and economic benefits
before deciding on a course of action.
The "Town Meeting" approach works like this: the visitor is prompted to choose an
issue and is then presented with the "voices" and "opinions" of stakeholders. Based
on this input from stakeholders, visitors are then asked to decide for themselves
how they would vote on the issue. The "Town Meeting" approach highlights the
tough choices that the coastal decision-making community faces.
This type of interactive exhibit is expected to set a trend in marine education, by
actively engaging visitors in coastal management dilemmas so that they can better
understand the types of decisions needed to address coastal issues. The "Town
Meeting" approach also illustrates how the JCNERR assists the coastal
management community by presenting a forum for intelligent, informed discussion
of real coastal issues.
Admission to "Life on the Edge" is free of charge for the public.
For further information, contact Lisa Weiss, Watershed Coordinator, Jacques
Cousteau Coastal Education Center, 130 Great Bay Blvd, Tuckerton NJ 08087;
Phone (609) 812-0649; Fax: (609) 294-8597; E-mail: weiss@imcs.rutqers.edu
-------
U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Being
Restored in Chesapeake Bay
Anyone who fished or swam in Chesapeake Bay in the 1960s remembers huge
amounts of "seaweed" clogging boat propellers, closing marinas, and generally
making shallow water boating a hassle. However, in the next breath, people will
often reminisce about the great abundance offish and game that existed at that
time. Few people understand that the two go hand-in-hand, and that submerged
aquatic vegetation is even important to people who never go boating or fishing.
The loss of submerged aquatic vegetation
(SAV) in many estuaries throughout North
America has far-reaching effects, ranging
from complete collapse of the scallop
fishery in the Coastal Bays of Maryland and
Virginia, to increased shoreline erosion and
reduced food availability for wildlife and
waterfowl. SAV has been gradually
declining in Chesapeake Bay since the
arrival of the first colonists. But a massive
decrease in SAV occurred during the
1960's human population explosion in the M,
Chesapeake watershed. Although there ***¦' B
has been a significant recovery in SAV since then, we are still a long way from
reaching even the most modest of our goals. To help improve the Bay's SAV
populations, many difficult steps have been taken, and many more will be needed
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before we can safely declare that SAV has been restored.
Many factors affect SAV distribution in the Bay today, from escalator dredge
clamming to boat scarring to severe storms that damage SAV beds. However,
scientists agree that these factors play a minor role compared to water quality, and
particularly the clarity, of our Bay's water. People have long known that water
quality is important for maintaining SAV health, and the biggest strides in restoring
SAV have been related to improvements in water quality. In the Chesapeake Bay
watershed, steps that have been taken to improve water quality include requiring
better treatment of wastewater, reducing phosphate - a key limiting nutrient for algal
growth - in detergents, reducing sediment runoff into streams by better managing
forests, farms and logging, tightening regulations for septic systems, requiring
developers to control erosion, and encouraging vegetated buffers along thousands
of miles of streams that feed into Chesapeake Bay.
Even those who live and work far inland can affect and help restore SAV in the Bay.
Improved farming practices offer one striking example. The amount of fertilizers
used is now carefully managed to feed crops only what they need, reducing fertilizer
runoff and reducing nutrient runoff into streams and the Bay. Better soil testing
allows farmers to determine when fertilizers are needed and not needed. Improved
poultry feeds are being developed to allow chickens to more efficiently utilize the
nutrients in their food, resulting in chicken waste that is less nutrient-rich. Less soil
is washing into streams due to the use of contour-farming, no-till farming, planting
winter cover crops to control erosion, and fencing streams to keep cattle out. Many
Federal and State Programs (e.g. Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program)
work to create farmland that benefits wildlife. Every single one of these measures
benefits the Bay's SAV by improving water quality.
But is water quality improving in the areas where SAV grows? Two decades of
monitoring by the EPA and the State shows substantial water quality improvements
in some areas and continued degradation in others. However, the water quality
monitoring program is designed to characterize entire watersheds and tributaries of
the Bay, rather than shallow nearshore areas where SAV grows. As funding
constraints place a limit on the number of monitoring stations, water quality in many
shallow nearshore areas may not be well characterized.
In order to address these short-comings, the Chesapeake Bay Program is
intensifying monitoring of near-shore water quality. Better monitoring technology is
also being used, including continuous environmental monitors that measure water
quality round the clock, towed monitoring instruments that are tracked by satellites
as they collect spatial data over large areas, and computer models that are used to
evaluate environmental data in light of SAV habitat requirements.
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SAV issues are penetrating into Maryland schools as well. In 2002, 240 schools
raised SAV through the joint efforts of the Maryland Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The Bay Grasses in
Classes program teaches children how to grow SAV from seeds, and takes them
out to plant the grasses themselves into in the Bay, thus teaching students about
responsible stewardship.
Transplantation is also being used to increase the amount of SAV. Planting of SAV
is so labor intensive that it is unlikely to result directly in significant bay-wide
increases in acreage. However, strategic planting can effectively be used to
jumpstart SAV restoration, by planting beds in areas that don't have populations of
native species. With this in mind, the DNR has hosted two workshops in the past 3
years to compile state-of-the-art information on successfully restoring SAV. This
information will be available on the DNR website
(http://mddnr.chesapeakebav.net/savrrc/index.html ) to help people
select SAV restoration methods that are most likely to succeed.
The DNR is also working with permitting agencies to develop a streamlined, one-
stop permit application process that allows applicants to use the DNR website to
apply for restoration permits. Currently Maryland has a complex multi-agency
permitting process involving the DNR, Army Corps of Engineers, and other
agencies. By speeding up the permitting of SAV restoration, the DNR hopes that
more SAV will be saved and transplanted to other areas.
The Chesapeake Bay Program has been a prime supporter of SAV research. The
Bay Program has continuously supported a group of SAV researchers and agency
managers for several decades. In 1992, they helped develop an initial Bay-wide
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goal of having 114,000 acres of SAV, reflecting the total SAV area that existed
between 1971 and 1990. Using aerial photos from the 1930s through 1960s,
Maryland and Virginia are currently revising their data on SAV abundance in the
Bay prior to the widespread declines in the late 60s and early 70s. Since annual
Bay-wide surveys began in 1985, SAV has substantially increased in many areas.
In 2001, total SAV acreage in the Bay set a new record - 77,800 acres.
Population increases in the Chesapeake Bay watersheds continue to pose the
greatest challenges to water quality and SAV restoration goals, due to nonpoint
source pollution. Even today, some rivers in Maryland and Virginia contain not a
sprig of SAV. The wheels of recovery are in motion, but only time and monitoring
will tell if enough is being done.
For further information, contact Michael Naylor, Maryland Department of Natural
Resources, 580 Taylor Avenue, Tawes State Office Building, Annapolis, MD 21401;
Phone: (410) 594-474; Email: mnavlor@dnr.state.md.us
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Controlling Bacterial Contamination in
Barnegat Bay, New Jersey
In the last 6 years, the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program (BBEP), in Ocean
County, New Jersey has coordinated a partnership of federal, state, county,
municipal, academic and citizen organizations to address nonpoint source pollution.
One of their goals is to protect and restore waters used for shellfish harvesting and
swimming. For the first time in 30 years, actions to reduce fecal contamination have
resulted in improved water quality of more than 5,000 acres of shellfish waters,
allowing unrestricted shellfish harvesting in the Toms River, a major tributary of
Barnegat Bay.
New Jersev's
¦fc"
Clean Vessel Act
Pumping out loihty
for lumornm'* future!
Although stormwater runoff still carries bacteria into
wetlands and coastal waters, water quality of swimming
areas in Ocean County has improved. At some swimming
areas, fewer bathing beaches have been closed than in
previous years. This success is due to management actions
to reduce bacterial pollution, described below, and to a
public awareness campaign that includes weekly notification
of elevated pollutant levels, a hotline for reporting illicit
discharges, and a beach information website. These
outreach activities help the public to understand where bacterial contamination
comes from and what people can do to prevent such contamination.
Water quality at swimming beaches has also been characterized better, thanks to
the combined efforts of these groups working with the Ocean County Health
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Department, the Ocean County Utilities Authority and the New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
New Jersey Clean Vessel Program
Septic wastes pose a significant threat to water quality, considering that 1 gram of
human waste contains approximately 100,000,000 fecal coliform bacteria (The
federal standard for fecal coliform bacteria in approved shellfish harvesting waters
is 14 fecal coliform bacteria colonies per 100 milliliters of water). Yet studies in the
1980s documented only 4 sewage pump-out facilities in all of coastal New Jersey.
Since then, long-term cooperative efforts by BBEP partners have resulted in
installation of more than 70 marine sewage pump-out facilities in Barnegat Bay and
its tributaries.
Funding for the pump-out facilities was provided by the New Jersey Clean Vessel
Program, which provided funds for construction, operation, and maintenance of
pump-out stations, dump stations, pump-out boats and boater education programs.
The New Jersey Clean Vessel Act Program is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) and the NJDEP. This program is administered jointly by the
USFWS, the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife, the New Jersey Sea Grant, the
Marine Trades Association of New Jersey, and other interested public and private
entities. This state program provides 100 percent of the costs to install sewage
pump-out facilities. A total of 75 percent of its funding comes from the federal Clean
Vessel Act, which is derived from the Wallop-Breaux Fund and an excise tax on
fishing-related items (e.g., motors, motorboat fuel, fish finders, tackle and pleasure
boats). The state's "Shore-to-Please" license plate fund provides the remaining 25
percent.
Circle of Life Pump-Out Vessel
The BBEP also contributed funds for operating the "Circle of Life", the first sewage
pump-out boat in New Jersey. For 5 years, this vessel has collected more than
52,000 gallons of sewage from 3,642 recreational boats in Barnegat Bay. This
significantly reduces the public health threat due to boat discharges of untreated
sewage.
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The pump-out boat is operated in cooperation with the Borough of Seaside Park,
the Ocean County Planning Department, Ocean County Sewage Authority, and the
NJDEP. The Ocean County Utilities Authority provides free disposal of the sewage
collected by the Barnegat Bay pump-out boat.
Due to the success of the "Circle of Life", two additional sewage pump-out boats
were purchased for Barnegat Bay, and others were acquired for other coastal
watersheds throughout New Jersey. These pump-out services are available free to
the public.
Public Outreach Activities
Radio and TV announcements were broadcast throughout the New Jersey/New
York area to promote the Circle of Life and pump-out facilities. These
announcements featured US EPA Administrator, Christie Whitman, former governor
of New Jersey. The BBEP provided a National Estuary Program mini-grant to Pete
McLain, a citizen advocate who began the sewage pump-out boat program in New
Jersey. The grant was used to develop and implement a public outreach program to
encourage boaters, marina operators and local governments to use the "Circle of
Life" and marina pump-out facilities. This outreach campaign, which also included
multi-media advertising (marine radio, brochures, local events), has encouraged
widespread public use of these facilities.
For more information, contact Dr.Bob Scro, Director, Barnegat Bay Estuary
Program, Ocean County Planning Department, P.O. Box 2191, 129 Hooper
Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08753;Phone: (732) 286-7877; Email:
bscro@co.ocean.ni.us
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-------
U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Massachusetts Bay National Estuary
Program
A Multimetric Approach to Monitoring Coastal
Wetlands In Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays
Introduction
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Historically, many salt marshes in
Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays were
filled to support residential development,
roadways, or agriculture. Now salt
marshes are recognized and protected as
a critical coastal ecosystem, providing
food, shelter, migratory corridors, and
breeding and nursery areas for a huge
number of coastal and marine organisms.
Many commercially important species of
fish and shellfish rely upon salt marshes
for their early development, and the long
term future of many of our offshore
fisheries is linked to our salt marshes.
While a large percentage of salt marshes
has been lost to development, more than
36,000 acres of salt marsh still remain in
the Massachusetts Bays region.
Extensive salt marsh systems still exist on
the North Shore north of Boston and on Cape Cod, and important "pocket
marshes", or smaller salt marshes, occur throughout the region.
The Massachusetts Bays Program (MBP) is one of 22 nationally recognized
estuaries in the National Estuary Program. The boundaries of the MBP extend from
Salisbury on the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border, across Massachusetts
Bay to Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod, encompassing Massachusetts and
Cape Cod Bays. Protecting and enhancing coastal habitat is one of 15 action plans
in the 1996 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), and it
continues to be a top priority action item.
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Problem Formulation
While strict regulatory protection has nearly eliminated ongoing destruction of salt
marsh, it was clear to MBP staff that salt marshes continue to be impacted by
pollution, nvasive species (e.g., Phragmites australis), and other ecological
stressors. Ongoing development pressures and human activities in adjacent upland
areas, and in particular nonpoint source pollution, appeared to be major culprits.
However, clear scientific evidence to demonstrate a causal relationship between
human activities and ongoing ecological impacts was largely lacking. Clear
evidence of a causal relationship would help coastal managers to better protect
these huge and complex ecosystems. What was desperately needed was an
approach to document impacts of nonpoint source pollution on salt marsh functions
and values.
Project Overview
The MBP and the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) Program,
along with several other partners, have been working together for the past seven
years to develop a method for describing and assessing the condition of salt
marshes. The goal was to develop an approach that would work for salt marshes in
the Northeast, yet be transferable to other coastal areas. While our work is not yet
complete, we can report on our progress.
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We began with our belief that biology can provide the best indicators for ecosystem
impacts. Our approach was based on identifying useful biological indicators of
wetland conditions for salt marshes, such as vegetation, macroinvertebrates, birds,
and fish. Using these indicators, we developed a rapid assessment tool to score
land use impacts and to evaluate habitat. We then compared our site-specific
biological data to these land use scores in order to assess habitat condition.
Our assessment approach relies on a multimetric method for evaluating the
condition of biological assemblages in salt marshes. We examined multiple
parameters (metrics) that represent assemblage features, status, or attributes that
respond to disturbance. Metrics were chosen to integrate information from
individuals, populations, guilds, communities, ecosystem levels, and ecological
processes.
Several states have used multimetric approaches for biological surveys of lakes,
streams, and rivers, but only recently have such approaches been used in
ecological assessments of wetlands. Nearly all of the wetland research nationwide
has focused on freshwater systems, while our efforts are one of a very few that
address salt marsh tidal systems.
Because of the size and diversity of the Mass Bays coastal area, the MBP decided
to work in five regions, each with their own regional staff. The five regions are: the
upper North Shore from Cape Ann north to the state border, the lower North Shore
from Cape Ann to metropolitan Boston, the Metro Boston region, the South Shore
south of Boston, and Cape Cod. Much of our work was conducted in salt marshes
on Cape Cod and the North Shore.
Even before the salt marsh assessment project got underway, one of the first
CCMP action items was to inventory tidally restricted wetlands in each region. The
purpose of the inventories was to identify wetland sites where tidal flows were
restricted by roadways, undersized bridges and culverts, fill, and other man-made
obstructions. Tidal restrictions are one of the major causes of ongoing salt marsh
degradation because they decrease the amount of salt water flowing into and out of
the marsh, changing the ecology from salt or brackish water to freshwater. These
inventories will be used to prioritize and implement projects to restore tidal flow and
improve coastal wetland habitats. The first inventories were completed for the North
Shore, followed by those for the South Shore and Cape Cod. The final study of the
Metro Boston region is in progress.
After completing the inventories, the local committees began to obtain funding and
permits (federal, state, and local) to restore tidal flows at several high priority sites.
One of the first questions that arose was how to demonstrate that salt marsh habitat
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improves following restoration of tidal flow. Was there a way to document success?
The MBP staff felt that the multimetric salt marsh assessment method could be
used to monitor the effectiveness of restoring tidal flow to an impaired wetland. The
research team decided to adapt its methodology and train local citizens to see if
they could collect the information to demonstrate whether or not habitat improved
upon restoring tidal flow.
The US EPA provided funding for a volunteer training program for monitoring salt
marshes using the multimetric approach. Training modules were developed for
monitoring plants, birds, macroinvertebrates, tidal hydrology, water chemistry, and
for assessing potential impacts from adjacent land uses. Salem Sound Coastwatch,
a local non-profit partner for the MBP, was chosen as the local coordinator.
Four sites needing wetland habitat improvements were selected for focused
studies. Each of the four sites included monitoring sites that were upstream and
downstream of a tidal restriction; downstream sites were more "pristine" and
unimpacted in comparison with upstream tidally-restricted impaired sites. We
predicted that, over the course of restoration, the impaired upstream sites would
come to resemble the downstream sites, if the project was successful in restoring
tidal flow.
While the research team prepared training materials, Salem Sound Coastwatch
received funds to hire a volunteer monitoring coordinator and to recruit volunteers.
Since the local committees that had initiated the restoration projects were interested
in demonstrating success, recruitment was easy. Schoolteachers and college
students were also interested in participating.
In June and July of 1999, the research team conducted volunteer training. Following
this, the volunteers, under the guidance of the volunteer coordinator, collected data
from the four sites throughout the summer and early fall. In a parallel effort to
evaluate the success of the volunteers in collecting valid data, the research team
also collected data at the same sites on different days for comparison. At the end of
the first field season, the data from both teams were analyzed and compared. The
volunteers were also asked to provide detailed evaluations of the project.
Project Results
The research team received much valuable feedback from volunteers. While the
volunteers' data for plants, tidal hydrology, water chemistry, and land use
evaluations were similar to data collected by the research team, the information on
macroinvertebrates and birds was not quite as comparable. The volunteers
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themselves suggested many ways to improve the efforts, and these suggestions
were incorporated into the second year of the study. The bird and
macroinvertebrate monitoring data improved and fish monitoring was added. A third
year of work further improved the program.
By now, many other groups had become interested in our volunteer salt marsh
monitoring program. The research team, working with the volunteer coordinator,
decided to produce a reference handbook for use by program participants and
others. With a small grant from EPA, the research team was able to produce a
detailed handbook which describes the approach, methods, and data analysis. The
handbook was printed just in time for the 2002 field season.
Over the course of four years of monitoring at a number of sites, the volunteer
groups succeeded in establishing baseline information for tidally restricted sites
before restoration of tidal flows. Following restoration of tidal flows, improvements in
habitat and water quality were documented at the four sites.
The real benefits from this project have been huge. First, volunteers learned how
science is used to measure success and how they can contribute. Overall, a longer
term sense of stewardship is developing among participants, as well as a better
understanding of wetland ecology. The research team developed an easily used
handbook that explains the methods and purposes of assessing wetland conditions
(available on the MBP webpage http://www.massbays.org). The research team also
benefited from the data, which were used to develop the various metrics. Methods
were steadily improved over seven years in order to improve the predictive
capability of the multimetric approach.
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State and federal agencies continue to invest in wetland restoration, especially in
coastal systems. It is important to be able to demonstrate that these efforts result in
measurable success. Our research program hopefully provides a sound scientific
basis for evaluating the success of wetland restoration. Salt marshes vary, so
specific local approaches will need to be adapted to local conditions. However, the
overall approach is valid and can be adapted for use elsewhere.
Lessons Learned
The results of this project provide clear evidence that habitat improvement and
recovery takes a long time. Longer term monitoring over five years or more may be
needed to fully document habitat improvements. Additional sites have been added
to the monitoring schedule as restoration opportunities have arisen. The importance
of long term monitoring and long term management and protection of coastal
resources cannot be overestimated.
For further information, contact:
Jan Smith, Executive Director, Massachusetts Bays Program, 251 Causeway
Street, Suite 900, Boston, MA 02114-2151; Phone: (617) 626-1230; Fax: (617)
626-1240; Email: massbavs@state.ma.us For more information about the
volunteer training program, check the handbook available on the web site or
contact www.salemsound.org.
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Fish Flash!
>rr
r
hi.
The Tampa Bay Estuary Program has produced a wallet card to encourage
responsible fishing in the bay. The "Tampa Bay Ethical Angler Wallet Card"
illustrates 12 of the most commonly caught fish in the bay - including Spanish
mackerel, sea trout, snook and sheepshead - and provides information about bag
limits, seasonal closures and other harvest restrictions for each species. The
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped to develop the card. The
card is printed on durable latex paper and folds to the size of a credit card so
anglers can carry it with them wherever they go. In addition to providing fishing
regulations, the wallet card offers tips for ethical angling, and phone numbers to
report fisheries violations, fish kills, or fish tags.
The card is available free upon request, and will also be distributed through many
bait and tackle shops in the area. For more information, contact Nanette Holland at
(727) 893-2765 or e-mail nanette@tbep.org. The wallet card will also be available
on the Tampa Bay Estuary Program website at www.tbep.org.
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
EPA Celebrates American Wetlands Month
AMERICAN
WETLANDS
£ CAMPAIGN
.
Wetlands are major hotspots of biological
productivity because they provide habitat for a
wide range of flora and fauna. Wetlands also
offer great recreational opportunities for fishing,
canoeing, bird watching, and ecotourism. They are critical for flood control, acting
as buffers to absorb and reduce floodwaters and reduce property damage.
Over half of the nation's original wetlands have been lost or converted to other
uses, with the rate of loss declining dramatically over the last 30 years. The
Environmental Protection Agency is striving to achieve no net loss of the nation's
wetlands, and to work towards an annual net gain through wetland restoration
programs.
In May, 2003, the nation will celebrate American Wetlands Month. This year's
campaign will focus on protecting some of the nation's more unique wetlands. The
EPA, the Izaak Walton League (a national non-profit conservation organization) and
other federal and local agencies, and non-profit groups have scheduled many
activities around the country throughout the month.
A biennial Americans Wetland Conference will take place May 1-4, 2003 in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. The conference, presented by the EPA and the Izaak
Walton League, will feature training and networking opportunities in wetland
conservation. Informative presentations, hands-on sessions and training workshops
will be offered on many wetland topics, including conservation of ephemeral and
isolated wetlands, wetland ecology and values, status of wetlands resources,
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volunteer monitoring, education and outreach, restoration, mitigation, invasive
species, conservation tools, and more. A calendar of nationwide events can be
found at http://www.iwla.org/sos/awm/events.
Additional information on wetlands and how you can help is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands.
Registration information for the American Wetlands Conference can be found at
www.iwla.org/sos/awm/conference . A draft agenda of the conference,
detailed field trip descriptions, travel information, and more are available by email
awm@iwla.org or call (800)BUG-IWLA (284-4952).
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Coastal Zone '03: Coastal Zone
Management Through Time
The largest conference for the world's coastal resource management community
will be held July 13- 17, 2003 in Baltimore, Maryland. This biennial symposium
attracts over 1,200 participants from around the world, and is the premier
international gathering of ocean and coastal management professionals. The four
major themes include: port and harbor management, regional land management,
management response to coastal hazards, and management of aquatic resources.
The weeklong event will also include field trips, a silent auction, numerous
workshops, and a five-kilometer run to keep participants active and involved during
the conference.
For registration and general information please visit www.csc.noaa.gov/cz2003/
|ll \ I J' <1 is l I a inn1 r >|
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Technology vs. Nature: The War on Red
Tide!!
You are quietly fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, when all of a
sudden a 4-foot long yellow torpedo pops up next to your
boat, bobs there for a few minutes, then drops back into
the depths. What do you do? Call the Coast Guard? Dial
911?
Stay calm. The "torpedo" is actually an autonomous
underwater vehicle (AUV) known as a Slocum Glider. The
Slocum Glider AUV is the Mote Marine Laboratory's latest
attempt at early detection of red tides, caused by massive
blooms of certain algae which produce toxins. The Webb
Research Corporation in Massachusetts developed the $80,000.00 glider. The
highly maneuverable, unmanned instrument is the first of its kind to be used in Gulf
waters. Water quality data such as salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen are
transmitted to land-based scientists via satellite transmission, making water quality
data collection safer and less labor-intensive.
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The Mote Marine Laboratory, in collaboration with
Rutgers University, hopes to use the instruments to
help detect red tide (caused by Karenia brevis and
other red tide organisms) and to collect water quality
data to help scientists understand why the blooms
occur in the Gulf of Mexico. The team's goal is to better
inform the public and the fishing industry that a bloom
is about to occur or is nearby. Such information can help coastal resource
managers and others to alleviate the financial burden that results when shellfish are
contaminated by red tides.
If the glider tests are successful, the Mote team will equip an instrument with a
$20,000 miniature sensor that will search for red tide, while continually transmitting
water quality data. The glider will monitor the area between Tampa Bay and
Charlotte Harbor. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration are financing the gliders and the research,
respectively.
For further information, contact Dr. Gary Kirkpatrick, Program Manager,
Phytoplankton Ecology, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway,
Sarasota FL 34236; Phone: (941) 388-4441.
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U.S. Environmental
National Estuary Program
Note: This information is provided for reference
purposes only. Although the information provided
here was accurate and current when first created, it
is now outdated.
Celebrating the Clean Water Act 30th
Anniversary, October 2002 - 2003
In honor of the 30th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act, the Environmental
Protection Agency's National Water Program has launched a yearlong celebration.
The nationwide campaign will focus on educating the American people about safe
drinking water, water conservation, water monitoring, watersheds, nonpoint source
pollution (polluted runoff) and other water-related topics. EPA's outreach will
emphasize the importance of clean water. Each month of the year will highlight a
different aspect of the Act. Monthly topics include oceans, wastewater, stormwater
and wetlands. Events have been scheduled around the nation, and posters,
bookmarks, brochures, feature articles, commentaries, and other materials have
been published in honor of the anniversary.
To learn more about the Clean Water Act and for more information on events in
your area visit EPA website "The Year in Clean Water" at
www.epa.gov/water/vearofcleanwater.
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