Coastlines June 2001
Information und Nf
1-i' '* ~ ¦ J
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when first created, it is now outdated.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Information About Estuaries and Near Coastal Waters
June 2001 - Issue 11.3
Table of Contents
Protecting Ocean Wilderness in the Tortugas
Exciting On-line Auction Launched to Help Protect our Nation's Bays and Estuaries
New Salt Marsh Restoration and Monitoring Guidelines from New York
National Invasive Species Management Plan
Two Studies Show Reduction in Wetland Losses
Self-Guided Education Tours in the Bayou
Nation's First Wildlife Refuge Gets a Facelift
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WHAT IS A BAYKEEPER?
Review of Aquaculture Impacts
Honor Your Coastal and Ocean Heroes!
Deposition of Air Pollutants to the Great Waters
The Bay Area EcoAtlas: A Regional GIS Supports San Francisco Bay Habitat Restoration
Liquid Assets 2000: America's Water Resources at a Turning Point - New Report Says Clean Water is
Important to the Economy
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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provided here was accurate and current when first created, it is now outdated.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published between 1994 and 2002 and these issues
will not been updated since the original publication date. Users are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication
may have become outdated.
Protecting Ocean Wilderness in the Tortugas
More than 70 miles west of Key West and 140 miles from mainland Florida, the Tortugas consists of seven small islands made of sand and
coral reef. The waters surrounding the Tortugas are a true ocean wilderness, home to a dazzling array of marine life.
There is a long history of marine conservation in this remote and unique region. The Tortugas were the site of the first marine protected area
in the United States, the Dry Tortugas National Monument, established in 1935. In 1992, the monument was elevated to Dry Tortugas
National Park. In 1990, much of the surrounding waters gained protection as part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. From the
beginning, the Sanctuary identified the Tortugas as deserving special protection.
Protected by their isolation, the Tortugas boast lush coral reefs and the cleanest, clearest waters in the region. The Tortugas alone support
numerous species of gorgonians, or soft corals.
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More than 400 species of reef fish inhabit the region, including all of the Caribbean species of grouper. Intricate crinoids (feather stars) and
black corals grace the deep reefs. Healthy baitfish populations support thriving colonies of seabirds, including sooty and noddy terns, masked
boobies and the only roosting colony of magnificent frigate birds in North America. The Tortugas also supports endangered sea turtle
populations by providing undisturbed sandy beaches for nesting.
In addition to the rich array of biological resources found in the region, the Tortugas are uniquely situated in the wider Caribbean at a
crossroads of major ocean currents. Ten years of oceanographic studies have demonstrated that there are strong links between the Tortugas,
Florida Bay and the Florida Keys, emphasizing the important role of the Tortugas in sustaining and replenishing fish and other marine life
throughout the Florida Keys and beyond.
Despite early and progressive protection efforts in the Tortugas, today even this remote region shows signs of impacts from human activities.
Catches of red grouper, black grouper, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper and gray snapper have declined in the region over the last decade.
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Visitation at Dry Tortugas National Park provides evidence of the increasing
use of this remote locale, with park visitation skyrocketing from 1984 to
1999, straining park facilities and threatening the health of natural and
cultural resources.
Anchor damage by large ships on Tortugas Bank led to a Sanctuary
prohibition of the activity in September, 1997, but other critical coral and
hardbottom habitats remained threatened by damage from large anchors. To
address the myriad of burgeoning threats in the area, the Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary initiated the design and development of the
Tortugas Ecological Reserve.
" In July, 1997, the Sanctuary implemented the first comprehensive network
of marine zones in the U.S., including 23 no-take areas meant to preserve
biodiversity, protect habitat and provide opportunities for scientific research.
Seeking to protect a continuum of marine habitats that plants and animals need to
survive, a special ty pe of no-take area, called an ecological reserve was implemented
within the Florida Keys Sanctuary. Though an ecological reserve was proposed at this
time for the Tortugas region, it was not established because public input suggested that
the proposed boundaries did not include the most significant coral reef resources and
the designation would cause serious economic harm to commercial fishermen.
Instead, the
Sanctuary's final
management plan
called for a
collaborative process
to determine the area
and degree of
protection the
Tortugas needed.
One year after
implementing its
Vvi,* network of no-take
areas, the Sanctuary
launched the Tortugas
2000 initiative. The Sanctuary sought to involve all stakeholders in the region from the
beginning, by placing a 25-member working group comprised of commercial and
recreational fishermen, divers, conservationists, scientists, concerned citizens and
government agencies at the center of the process. The working group's instructions
were to ignore jurisdictional boundaries and design a reserve based on the best
available ecological and socioeconomic data.
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The working group met several times over a year, and all meetings were
open to the public. Working group members served as liaisons with their
constituents, facilitating the exchange of ideas and information. A
professional facilitator guided the process. A key element that contributed to
the group's success was avoiding discussion of specific areas or a percentage
of the study area to be set aside. Instead, the group drafted and prioritized
goals and criteria, which were then used to design and evaluate proposed
reserve boundaries. Meanwhile, the Sanctuary initiated a formal public
involvement process, beginning with scoping meetings throughout Florida
and in Washington, D.C.
In May, 1999, the Tortugas 2000 working group achieved consensus on a
proposal that was jointly brought to the table by commercial fishing and
conservation representatives. The full Sanctuary Advisory Council
unanimously approved the proposal at its June meeting.
The working group's proposal became the basis for the Sanctuary's preferred alternative for the
Tortugas Ecological Reserve, released for public comment in May, 2000. The Sanctuary received
more than 4,000 comments on this proposal, over ninety percent of which supported the no-take
reserve as essential for protecting some of the healthiest and most diverse coral reefs in the
region. After considering all comments, the Sanctuary released its final plan for the Tortugas
Ecological Reserve in November 2000.
This final plan calls for a 151-square nautical mile ecological reserve consisting of two sections,
Tortugas North and Tortugas South. Tortugas North protects some of the most luxuriant coral
reefs in the United States, where live coral cover often exceeds 40 percent, compared to 10
percent in the rest of the Florida Keys.
A lush coral carpet that stretches for miles,
nicknamed Sherwood Forest for its mysterious
mushroom and cone-shaped coral colonies, is
included in Tortugas North. This portion of the
reserve also incorporates the northern half of Tortugas
Bank, an area of low relief coral and hardbottom
interspersed with stunning coral-covered pinnacles
that rise forty feet from the seafloor, providing
foraging grounds for reef and open ocean inhabitants.
The Tortugas South portion of the reserve protects 60-square nautical miles that includes Riley's
Hump, a spawning area for many species of snapper and grouper. Riley's Hump is also home to a
colorful array of reef fish, including some not commonly seen in the Florida Keys. Cherubfish,
longsnout buttcrflvfish. red-tailed triggerfish and rare hamlets are just a few of the many unique
species found in the area. Sharks, tuna and other large predators cruise the area, lured by the
warm water and powerful current of the Gulf Stream.
Under the new Tortugas Ecological Reserve designation, Tortugas North will remain open to
diving and snorkeling under a simple access permit from the Sanctuary. To prevent damage to
corals and other delicate organisms, the rules for the reserve prohibit anchoring; however,
mooring buoys will be installed for use by visiting vessels.
All vessels will be allowed to travel through the Tortugas South portion of the reserve, but stopping will only be permitted for enforcement,
research or educational purposes. The final regulations also expand Sanctuary boundaries by 96-square nautical miles, extending the
protection of general Sanctuary regulations to all of the reserve.
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The success of the Tortugas 2000 process and the resulting establishment of
the Tortugas Ecological Reserve is the product of cooperation and
involvement of all parties. Along with stakeholder involvement,
unprecedented interagency cooperation contributed substantially to the
design and implementation of the reserve. Representatives of the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the
National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Park Service (NPS) all
participated in working group meetings and collaborated closely with
Sanctuary managers at each stage of the reserve proposal.
The Sanctuary fully coordinated its planning efforts with a NPS initiative to
revise its general management plan for Dry Tortugas National Park. The
NPS is proposing to create a Research Natural Area within the Park that
complements the Sanctuary's reserve by protecting productive shallow and
deep coral reefs, seagrass, sand, and hardbottom habitats.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is moving forward with its own regulations to close the federal waters of the Tortugas
Ecological Reserve under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Also, the National Marine Fisheries Service
will implement no-take regulations through the Office of Highly Migratory Species for pelagic fish such as tuna, sharks and billfish. The
State of Florida recently voted to include state waters in the reserve, signaling the final approval for establishment of this protected area.
Upon its implementation in July, 2001, the Tortugas Ecological Reserve will be the largest permanent no-take reserve in the United States
and the second largest in the world. With the creation of this reserve, the Sanctuary hopes to create a seascape of promise - a place where the
ecosystem's full potential can be realized and a place where humans can leant about the environment and leant to respect it.
The Sanctuary anticipates that there will be significant ecological benefits to local and regional marine populations over time. To document
changes inside and outside of the reserve, the Sanctuary will incorporate the reserve into its comprehensive monitoring program. The
Tortugas Ecological Reserve also promises to provide unprecedented research and educational opportunities as the marine habitats of the
region recuperate front years of use and return to a more natural, undisturbed state. In this day of ever-burgeoning human expansion and
exploitation of the earth's marine resources, the Tortugas Ecological Reserve represents an area of true ocean wilderness, a legacy owed to
future generations.
For more infonnation on the Tortugas Ecological Reserve contact, Joanne Delaney, NOAA/Flortda Keys National Marine Sanctuary; Phone:
(305) 743-2437; E-mail: Joanne.Delanev@,noaa.gov or visit www.fknnis.nos.noaa.gov/tortugas |kmi
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Information und (Ti
^ £^» ! ; - ' -H
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Exciting On-line Auction Launched to Help Protect our Nation's Bays
and Estuaries
In early May 2001, Ebay.com will begin hosting an on-line auction where you can bid on fun and unique
donated auction items. New items will rotate in on a continual basis...keep checking the site! Just go to
www.ebay.com and see how easy it is! Type "ANEP" in the "search" box under the EBAY logo on the
top left corner, and all ANEP's items will appear. Click on those that interest you, and have fun bidding!
The proceeds from the sale of the tax-deductible donations will go to support the nation's 28 National
Estuary Programs (NEPs) and their Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP). Make the highest
bid and 20 to 40 percent of the sale price will be provided, depending on the amount of the sale, to the
particular National Estuary Program (NEP) that was responsible for bringing that item to the auction.
Together, the NEPs and ANEP (a 501(c)(3) non-profit) provide local and national efforts to restore our
nation's estuaries, bays and lagoons.
This is a great auction for finding a unique birthday present, an anniversary present for your parents, or a
fun adventure for you and your family. Some exciting items found in our auction include boat rides;
fishing trips; a 14-person party on board the "Glory", a replica of a Victorian fantail electric launch; and
kayaking trips in your local bay or estuary. There will also be a week-long vacation in a Utah condo
located within walking distance to downhill and cross country skiing! Pamper yourself and a special
companion with a weekend stay in your choice of Bed & Breakfast locations. Or, why not buy a weekend
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trip for some friends, as a present they will never forget? There may be concert tickets, a catered food
party, and a dinner for four at a fine restaurant or at a waterfront bistro.
If you have an item or service you would like to donate to this great cause, please contact Dawn Volk;
Phone: (703) 333-6150; E-mail: drvolk@erols.com, or visit the website at www.anep-usa.org.
E \ IT <1 is l1 11 inn1r >|
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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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
New Salt Marsh Restoration and Monitoring Guidelines from New
York
The New York State Department of State and Department of Environmental Conservation have jointly
developed guidelines offering technical assistance to local governments, environmental organizations
and others interested in developing and monitoring salt marsh restoration projects. The New York State
Salt Marsh Restoration and Monitoring Guidelines responds to gaps in restoration science and
management, and include a standard monitoring protocol to increase data collection, assist in project
comparisons, and improve evaluation of restoration success. The 140-page document is available from
both the Department of State and Department of Environmental Conservation, and may also be
downloaded from the Internet at either: http: //www, dec. state .ny. us/website/dfwmr/marine/sm guide .html
or http ://www. dec. state .ny .us/website/dfwmr/marine/sm guide .html To
I! \ IT ¦
request a copy, or for additional information, please contact Nancy Niedowski, NYS Department of
State, 41 State Street, Albany, NY 12231; Phone: (518) 473-8359; E-mail: nniedows@dos. state .ny .us
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Infer vt at ion jftft1
d iNfrCoastal Waters
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
National Invasive Species Management Plan
On January 18, the interagency National Invasive Species Council issued a final plan, which includes a
list of 57 action items to be implemented over the next four years. The action items are intended to guide
federal agencies' actions to prevent and control invasives, as well minimize invasives' economic,
ecological, and human health impacts, as required by Executive Order 1311. The Plan is available at
www.invasivespecies.gov/council/nmp.shtml. |i:xit disclaimed
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Information und (Ti
^ £^» ! ; - ' -H
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Two Studies Show Reduction in Wetland Losses
The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have each
released reports indicating that there has been a dramatic slowdown in the loss of wetlands over the past
decade. The report by Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI), "Status and Trends of Wetlands in the
Conterminous United States 1986 to 1997," shows that the rate of wetland loss in the U.S. decreased to
an estimated annual loss of 58,500 acres - an 80 percent reduction compared to the previous decade.
However, the national goal of "no net wetlands loss" has not yet been met. The study shows that between
1986 and 1997 forested wetlands and freshwater emergent wetlands continued to show the most losses.
Open water ponds are increasing, yet there is concern that the long-term trend in the loss of vegetated
wetlands may result in long-term adverse consequences.
The USDA report on the health of America's private lands, "National Resources Inventory," also shows
significant reduction in wetland losses over this period of time. Prepared by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, the report shows an average annual net loss from all sources of 32,600 acres of
wetlands from 1992 to 1997. The western part of the U.S. is approaching no net losses during this period,
while the eastern U.S. has the largest wetlands losses in this period. The findings of the two reports
reflect the culmination of more than a decade of progressive work and accomplishments in wetland
conservation.
You can download the "Status and Trends Report" from the following website;
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http://wetlands.fws.gov/blia/SandT/SandTReport.litml
[XITdiicIjimcrX
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Infer vt at ion jftft1
d iNfrCoastal Waters
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Self-Guided Education Tours in the Bayou
Imagine that you are a sixth-grade classroom teacher, living in South Louisiana. Your students have been
studying the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary and its 4.2 million-acre watershed which lies between the
Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers. Through reading Self-Guided Tours of the Barataria-Terrebonne
Estuary, and other educational products produced by the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary
Program, you and your students have learned that this rich deltaic system was fonned by the flooding of
the Mississippi River, and is one of the most productive areas in the world.
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The wide variety of habitats include bottomland
hardwood forests, freshwater "flotant" marshes,
barrier islands, and vast salt marshes. These marshes
are teeming with life and are extremely important to
the local and national economy. Fisheries for
menhaden, shrimp, oysters and crabs, as well as a
booming sport fishing industry, bring in more than
$540 million annually. Fur and alligator hides and
hunting activities yield over $170 million per year.
The rich delta soils accommodate sugarcane and
other crops that generate over $600 million per year.
The Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary is home to
abundant wildlife, including neotropical migratory
and resident birds and alligators, which encourages a
thriving ecotourism industry.
One of the key m essages of the guidebook is that
this area is plagued with severe environmental
problems. The worst of these is the loss of 13,500
wetland acres per year, or an area the size of a
football field, every- forty-five minutes. The problem
is largely due to flood protection levees on the Mississippi River, which prevent the river from annually
nourishing the wetlands with fresh water, nutrients and sediment carried from the drainage of two-thirds
of the nation. Other environmental problems include nutrient enrichment of inland waterways and the
Gulf of Mexico, and pathogens and toxins which threaten human health and fisheries production . As the
land and water quality degrades, both fisheries and wildlife habitat is lost. As the habitat declines, so also
does the coastal culture that is entirely dependent on the wealth of natural resources.
Now that you and your students have learned a bit about the geology and ecology of the place you live, it
is time to go out and experience it. The guide contains a total of twenty self-guided field trips with
accompanying maps to guide the reader. Included in the guide is information designed to help the visitor
choose trips to study specific topics, or to choose trips based on trip time, cost and trip features.
Photographs, maps, and descriptions of trip sites form the body of the listing, followed by relevant
activities and other places to note or visit while in the area. A resource list, sources for water testing
equipment, and plant and animal lists for the varied habitats within the estuary complete the guide.
Several of the trips demonstrate the effects of coastal land loss through the landscape of dead and dying
cypress trees - the result of saltwater intrusion deep into a fresh water system. Other trips highlight
coastal restoration activities such as the Naomi Siphons, where Mississippi River water is being diverted
into a degraded wetland. The tour book includes a visit to a world-class marine research facility in the
salt marsh, complete with boat tour and laboratory activities. Students and other groups can also visit an
oil spill response recovery ship, a swamp tour, state and national parks, or the Old River Control
Structure, where the Army Corps of Engineers guards against the capture of the Missi ssippi River by its
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sister river, the Atchafalaya.
More than 3,000 copies of the "Self-Guided Tour" have been distributed at educator workshops and
conferences or through telephone requests to the office. Feedback from educators has been very positive.
The guide is useful to a wide audience, including formal educators, scouting and church groups and
individuals. Because a number of additional museums and coastal restoration activities have been
developed since the guide was written, the Estuary Program will soon be updating the guide, providing
the public with an additional five or ten trips to choose from.
Self-Guided Tours of the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary is available to teachers, individuals and other
local groups at no charge. It is also available online at www.btnep.org.
For further information, please contact Deborah Schultz, Education Coordinator; Barataria-Terrebonne
National Estuary Program, Program Office, Nicholls State University Campus, P.O. Box 2663,
Thibodaux, LA 70310; Phone: (504) 447-0868; E-mail: deborah s@deq.state.la.us
An example of what you will find in the guide to help plan your trip.
TRIP 2:
Naomi Siphons
Hwy 23 at Naomi, Louisiana
CONTACT:
Plaquemines Parish Government
Coastal Restoration
(504) 682-0081
CATEGORY:
Hydrologic Modification
Guided tour of freshwater diversion project
ENVIRONMENT:
Mississippi River
Levee trail between freshwater swamp and canal/swamp.
GROUP TYPE:
Grades 5-12 to adult. The trail along the levee is a wild area and exhibits scat of many animals, including
alligator.
DISTANCE:
16 miles on Hwy. 23 from the West Bank Expressway to the Naomi Siphon
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TIME:
11/2 hours on site, including discussion time
COST:
Free
EQUIPMENT:
Wear enclosed shoes or boots. You will be in a wild area. Camera, binoculars, sampling and water
quality testing equipment, plastic bag for scat collecting. Field guide to birds.
DESCRIPTION:
This trip begins at the Naomi Siphons 011 the
Mississippi River levee. Arrange ahead of time
to meet your guide by calling the contact
number. The guide is a representative of
Plaquemine Parish who can give a history of land
loss in the area, as well as explain the two
freshwater diversion projects at West Point a la
Hache and Naomi. He or she will further explain the problems of saltwater intrusion into wetlands and
land-loss from subsidence and salt-stressed plant death. The guide will also talk about the hope that the
freshwater being siphoned into the swamp and marsh beyond will push back any salt water coming in
and deposit land-replenishing sediments to combat subsidence.
The Naomi Siphons, which became operational in 1993 and is managed by the State Department of
Natural Resources, diverts water from the Mississippi River through large pipes which travel over the
levee and under the highway emptying into a freshwater outlet on the opposite side of the highway.
Mississippi River barge traffic may be seen on the river at this point. When you cross the highway, you
can view the outflow of the siphons into a man-made canal. With your guide, you will walk along a levee
which leads you to the wetlands which are the focus of the project. You may catch a glimpse of a
raccoon, opossum or deer on the levee or at the swamp's edge, and you may hear the loud splash of an
alligator as it dives for cover at your approach. Waterfowl and wading birds are common here.
ACTIVITIES:
• Conduct a scat hunt on the levee. Animal droppings abound here. Tiy to determine who was
eating what, based on what you see in the scat. A basic food web chart can be constructed later,
based on your field discoveries. Look for other signs of wildlife here and record your observations
for later discussion.
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• Combine this trip with a morning trip to the Oil Recovery Station
at Fort Jackson (see trip information, page 8). There are picnic
tables and room to run in the shade at the Fort (50 miles further
south on Hwy 23).
• For Plaquemines Parish residents only: combine this trip with a 30-
minute bus tour of the BP Alliance Refinery in Naomi. Call (504) 656-7711, public relations
department for details.
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Information und (Ti
^ £^» ! ; - ' -H
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Nation's First Wildlife Refuge Gets a Facelift
It is little more than a spit of an island, really o a veritable blip in the
Indian River Lagoon. Yet Pelican Island, a scrappy mangrove island
just east of Sebastian, Florida, is one of the most historically
significant wildlife habitats in the United States. Nearly a century ago,
German immigrant Paul Kroegel patrolled this island, sometimes
wielding a 10-gauge double-barreled shotgun, to fend off poachers and
feather hunters to keep them from destroying what was the last brown
pelican breeding ground along the entire east coast of Florida.
The efforts of Kroegel and other prominent locals inspired President
Theodore Roosevelt on March 14, 1903, to establish Pelican Island as
the first National Wildlife Refuge, the cornerstone of a nationwide
system that now encompasses 93 million acres on more than 500
refuges.
In February of this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joined
forces with several other partners to fend off a more subtle, insidious
threat to the island: erosion. In 1908 Pelican Island was five and a half acres in area, since then it has
shrunk by more than 70 percent oto about three acres. No one is really sure why the island is eroding, but
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contributing factors may include wakes caused by boat traffic along the Intracoastal Waterway or tidal
flows from nearby Sebastian Inlet.
Operation "Save Pelican Island" began when a Black Hawk helicopter equipped with a dump truck-sized
bucket airlifted 250 tons of fossilized oyster shells to the island. The oyster shells serve as a natural wave
break to halt erosion. Laid out as carefully as any military maneuver, the two day project required a team
near Jungle Trail, a nearby barrier island, to load the bucket with a front-end loader. Once full, the
helicopter flew about a quarter mile to Pelican Island, where another crew directed the pilot to the drop
location.
Inside the oyster shell barrier, adults
and Pelican Island Elementary School
students planted several acres of
smooth cord grass, which will trap
sediments, break up wave energy,
promote accretion (growth) of sand,
and create additional habitat for the
birds.
While construction of a wave break
and planting shorelines may be
considered relatively straightforward
projects, the Pelican Island restoration
project presented a number of
challenges.
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The island is situated near the eastern shoreline of the Indian
River Lagoon, some distance from the Intracoastal
Waterway. There is no deep-water access to the island, and
waters around the island are extremely shallow and
vegetated with seagrass, limiting barge or boat access. The
island is an important brown pelican and wading bird
rookery, which could easily be disturbed by construction
activities. In addition, the island is considered a federal
wilderness area, further limiting the ability to use heavy
equipment as part of this project.
Initially, a pilot project was undertaken to evaluate manual
moving of shell material. Roughly a ton of shell material,
quarried from an inland site in Florida, was used to fill
burlap bags. A boat ferried the filled bags near the island,
where volunteers lugged them to the location of the wave
break. All involved in this pilot project agreed that, while
there was little disturbance to wildlife, this method was
slow, inefficient, and likely to impact seagrass beds as a
result of the increased foot traffic and turbidity generated by
this traffic.
After consideration of a variety of alternatives, the only viable way to move and place the shell material
at the island appeared to be the airlift maneuver. Experts chose early February because it preceded the
onset of nesting season. Those birds present on the island were roosting, departing shortly after sunrise to
feed. Therefore, the shells were airlifted to the site during this morning "window of opportunity." To
further reduce potential impacts to wildlife, construction activities ended shortly after noon, allowing the
birds to return to the island.
The Pelican Island project will be the subject of ongoing monitoring to determine whether it is
successful. It may also serve as a model for other efforts to stabilize eroding shorelines. While the cost of
airlifting materials was expensive o $4,000 per hour o the savings in time and the minimal impact to a
sensitive resource appeared to balance the cost.
Save America's Treasures, a program administered by the National Park Service, provided $54,000 for
the project. The St. Johns River Water Management District and the Florida Inland Navigation District
provided a matching grant. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Lewis Environmental Services
provided engineering and planning assistance.
Land acquisitions over the years have expanded Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge to include not
only the island, but 5,000 additional acres of nearby barrier islands. A centennial celebration will be held
in 2003, a milestone that is generating a fair amount of attention for the refuge and the restoration
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project.
For further information, contact Ed Garland, St. Johns River Water Management District; Phone: (321)
676-6612; E-mail: Ed Garland@district.sirwmd.state.fl.us
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in format la it iter
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
What is a Bay keeper?
More and more, the terms Baykeeper and Riverkeeper have been heard whenever the nation's estuaries
and waterways are being discussed. But just what do Baykeepers and Riverkeepers do and how did they
get started? The Keeper movement is an environmental "neighborhood watch" program, a citizen patrol to
protect communities and the waters they depend upon.
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The Keeper philosophy is based on
the notion that the protection and
enjoyment of a community's natural
resources requires the daily vigilance
of its citizens. A Keeper is a full-
time, privately funded, non-
governmental ombudsman whose
special responsibility is to be the full-
time public advocate for a water
body. Being a Keeper involves
advocating compliance with
environmental laws; responding to
spills, fish kills, and citizen
complaints; identifying problems
which affect a community's
waterways and devising appropriate
remedies to these problems; serving
as a living witness to the condition of
the ecosystem; and being an
advocate for the public's right to
protect and defend the environment.
Keepers are part investigator, part
scientist, lawyer, lobbyist, community organizer and public relations agent. All Keepers have a boat of
some kind, ranging in size from a canoe to a research vessel. But sometimes a pair of hip boots is more
important than a boat, and sometimes a legal brief is more important than either one.
The Keeper concept started 011 New York's Hudson River where a coalition of commercial and
recreational fishermen mobilized in 1966 to reclaim the Hudson from its polluters. They constructed a
boat to patrol the river and used the winnings from anti-pollution lawsuits to hire the first full-time
Riverkeeper in 1983. They modeled the program after the Riverkeepers of the British Isles who looked
after private trout and salmon streams, usually for estates and manors and private fishing clubs. By 1998,
Hudson Riverkeeper had filed over 100 successful legal actions against the Hudson River polluters,
forcing them to pay for $1 billion in remediation costs on the river. The river that was once dead for 20
miles at a stretch is now one of the richest and most productive waterbodies in the Northeast. The
Hudson's miraculous recovery has helped make the Keeper program an international model for ecosystem
protection.
The Keeper movement has spread quickly as individuals were drawn to the idea that citizens can and
should take responsibility for protecting their community's natural resources. In 1992, the existing
Keepers founded the National Alliance of River, Bay and Sound Keepers. This was renamed The
Waterkeeper Alliance in 1999.
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• STRONG"
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The Alliance oversees the formation of
new Keeper programs, organizes annual
conferences, licenses the use of the
Keeper names, works on national issues
of common interest, and serves as a
networking center for the Keepers to
exchange information, strategy and
know-how. With the assistance of the
Waterkeeper Alliance, sixty-three
Keeper programs have now been started
on water bodies across the United States
and three countries. Together they
represent one of today's fastest growing
and most promising movements for long-
lasting environmental resource protection.
While the Waterkeeper Alliance began and continues to be primarily a citizen advocacy group, the ability
to litigate is a key component of the program's success. Skepticism about government's willingness to
enforce environmental laws prompted Congress to include the citizen suit provi sions in most of the
environmental statutes. These provisions allow citizens with standing to step into the shoes of the United
States attorney and prosecute polluters when government agencies fail to act. Alliance president and chief
prosecutor, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., systematically litigates as a highly effective tool to curb polluters.
Keepers employ a variety of strategies to enforce environmental laws, including conducting water quality
monitoring and patrols, attending municipal board meetings, educating and motivating the public to act on
behalf of the waterway, participating in coastal planning, devising solutions to water quality problems,
and pursuing litigation as a final step to enforcement.
On some waterbodies, litigation is a less important tool. On Casco Bay in Maine and on the Peconic Bay
in New York, both part of the National Estuary Program, the Baykeepers share the same goals but employ
different strategies, including conducting water quality monitoring, participating in coastal planning,
educating the public and devising solutions with those who have caused problems for their bays. They do
reserve the right to seek solutions in court where necessary. "We don't have a long list of lawsuits to point
to for our success," says Sally Bethea, Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper in Georgia, "but just the threat
of a suit is enough for some polluters to clean up their act."
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How
do you
become
a
Keeper? "The Riverkeeper movement isn't top down, it's
bottom up - we don't go out recruiting Riverkeepers. But
if somebody will come to us and say: 'I want to shoulder
this burden,' then we will help them ." says Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr.
Despite the Waterkeeper Alliance's many successes, there still are many areas which do not have Keepers.
For example, there are no Keepers in the state of Texas or southern Florida. According to Robert F.
Kennedy, Jr., appointing a Keeper supports the connection between "the environment and the economy.
Sure, we can convert our natural resources to cash as quickly as possible. We can produce instantaneous
cash flow and the illusion of a prosperous economy. But our children are going to pay for our joy ride
with denuded landscapes and poor health and huge cleanup costs. If you take the long-term view, good
environmental policy is always good economic policy."
For further information on Baykeepers, Riverkeepers and the Waterkeeper Alliance, contact Murray
Fisher, Waterkeeper Alliance, 78 N. Broadway, E. Bldg. White Plains, NY 10524; Phone: (914) 422-
4410; E-mail: Mfisher@keeper.org or visit the website www.riverkeeper.org. |i:MT«ii»L-ijimiM>|
soi \ok i f-PER
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Information und (Ti
^ £^» ! ; - ' -H
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Review of Aquaculture Impacts
A recent article in the scientific journal "Nature" concludes that, while fish fanning still adds to the
world's fish supply, some trends are headed in the wrong direction. Many types of aquaculture are
hastening a worldwide fisheries collapse through practices that rely too heavily on feeding wild, caught
fish to fanned fish. Some aquaculture systems also reduce wild fish supplies by destroying fish habitat
and collecting wild fish to stock fish fanns.
Aquaculture issues highlighted in the new review include:
• Using wild fish to feed fanned fish: Many fanned fish are fed ground-up wild fish, contributing to
the depletion of ocean fisheries. It takes about three pounds of wild, caught fish to grow one
pound of shrimp or salmon. There is also an increasing trend towards feeding oil and fish meal to
herbivorous fish species to enhance production.
• Pollution : Fish fanning often produces a flow of waste effluent, containing feces and uneaten
feed, which contributes to pollution of coastal waters.
• Habitat Destruction: Hundreds of thousands of acres of coastal wetlands have been destroyed for
aquaculture ponds and facilities.
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The authors recommend several ways to help reduce the pressure on the world's dwindling fisheries and
conduct aquaculture in an environmentally sustainable manner. These include:
• Promoting the aquaculture of largely herbivorous fish, such as catfish or tilapia, or filter feeders
like scallops, mussels and oysters; and
• Encouraging ecologically-sound management of aquaculture by mandating the treatment of
wastewater, enforcing strict health and biosafety measures, and restricting the siting of farm ponds
in mangroves and other coastal wetlands.
For further information, contact Roz Naylor, Institute for International Studies, Stanford University;
Phone: (650) 723-5697; E-mail: roz@leland.stanford.edu. Naylor, R., et al. 2000. Effect of aquaculture
on world fish supplies. Nature 405: 1017-1024.
Reprinted from SeaWeb July 13, 2000.
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Information und (Ti
^ £^» ! ; - ' -H
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Honor Your Coastal and Ocean Heroes!
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is proud to announce the call for
nominations for the 2001 Walter B. Jones Memorial and NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and
Ocean Resource Management. From coast to coast, remarkable people and organizations are making a
difference by improving coastal economies, revitalizing coastal communities and conserving coastal and
ocean resources. Many people have dedicated countless hours and energy to ensure the nation's coasts
and oceans remain treasured places to live, work and play. This is your opportunity to honor them by
nominating them for these awards. All nominations must be received by July 31, 2001.
The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972 created a unique and voluntary partnership of
federal and state governments to provide a balance between land and water uses in the coastal zone, and
to conserve fragile coastal resources. As part of the 1990 re-authorization of the CZMA, the late
Congressman Walter B. Jones, Sr., then Chair of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee,
granted NOAA the authority to honor individuals and organizations whose work reflects the innovation
and balance needed to maintain healthy coasts and oceans for present and future generations.
The awards will focus on innovation, resourcefulness, and a commitment to balancing the human use of
America's coastal and ocean resources with the needs of the resources themselves. There are ten
categories to enter:
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The Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards
• Coastal Steward of the Year
• Excellence in Coastal and Marine Graduate Study
• Excellence in Local Government
The NOAA Excellence Awards for Coastal and Ocean Resource Management
• Volunteer of the Year
• Non-governmental Organization of the Year
• Excellence in Promoting Diversity in Coastal or
Ocean Resource Management
• Excellence in Business Leadership
• Excellence in Coastal Zone Management
• Excellence in Estuarine Reserve Management
• Excellence in Marine Sanctuary Management
For information and a brochure on how to nominate your coastal and ocean heroes, please contact
NOAA, Phone: (301) 563-7212; E-mail: ionesawards2001@noaa.gov; or visit:
www.nos.noaa.gov/iones award.html
V. \ IT (I is r 11 inr r >
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Information und (Ti
^ £^» ! ; - ' -H
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Deposition of Air Pollutants to the Great Waters
On November 15, 1990, in response to mounting evidence that air pollution contributes to water
pollution, Congress amended the Clean Air Act to establish research and reporting requirements related
to the deposition of hazardous air pollutants to the "Great Waters." The waterbodies designated by these
provisions are the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, Chesapeake Bay, and certain other coastal waters
(identified by their designation as sites in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System or the
National Estuary Program),
The third Great Waters Report to Congress provides updated scientific information on trends in
emissions, transport, deposition, fate and effects of toxic pollutants of concern. The report reviews many
programs that EPA, states, tribes and others are implementing to address the pollutants of concern to the
Great Waters. It also describes recent advancements in scientific research and tools used to improve our
understanding of atmospheric deposition to the Great Waters.
To review the report visit the website: http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps/gr8water
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Infer vt at ion jftft1
d iNfrCoastal Waters
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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
The Bay Area EcoAtlas: A Regional GIS Supports San Francisco Bay
Habitat Restoration
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The San Francisco Bay Area environment is constantly
being changed and reshaped. People come and go; there
are landslides and floods; hills have been leveled,
creeks have been filled and rivers rerouted. Human
activities during the last 150 years have filled or
otherwise altered over 80% of the tidal marshes in the
San Francisco Bay estuary, while at the same time new
wetlands, such as salt ponds and seasonal wetlands have
been created and many wildlife species rely upon them.
Important questions that should be answered before
habitat restoration is undertaken are: What kind of
habitat existed before? How can we assess
environmental changes accurately, and provide these
data to environmental planners and the public to make
informed decisions to restore habitat?
In San Francisco Bay, the development of a Bay Area
EcoAtlas has helped in regional efforts to protect and
understand the environment. The Bay Area EcoAtlas is
a Geographic Information System (GIS) database of
past and present local ecology of the bays, baylands,
and adjacent habitats of the San Francisco Bay Area. Designed to support regional environmental
planning and management, the EcoAtlas provides a view of the region's environmental past, present, and
changes that have occurred over time. Originally focused on lands draining directly to San Francisco
Bay, the EcoAtlas has been expanded to encompass the full extent of the San Francisco Bay Watershed
(as delineated by the State of California's Water Resource Control Board).
EcoAtlas Beginnings
The EcoAtlas is managed by the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI), a non-profit organization
created in 1994 as a result of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for the
San Francisco Estuary Project. SFEI's mission is to foster development of the scientific understanding
needed to protect and enhance the San Francisco estuary through research, monitoring, and
communication.
In 1994, members of the Bay Area academic, science and government communities, along with
interested members of the public, defined a common objective: to establish goals for habitat restoration.
This effort became the Baylands Ecosystem Habitat Goals Project, which seeks to restore the types,
amounts, and distribution of wetlands and related habitats needed to sustain diverse and healthy
communities of fish and wildlife in the San Francisco Bay area. The EcoAtlas was created, in part, to
meet the needs of the Goals Project.
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The EcoAtlas was created using many kinds of information from numerous sources to form a
comprehensive picture of the environmental past, of the present, and of changes. The EcoAtlas provides
the most detailed regional views of the past and present ecological conditions now available. It also
provides a spatial template for viewing possible scenarios for environmental management and a
geographic index for environmental data and their sources. The high level of accuracy and detail was
made possible in large part by the over 200 Bay Area residents who have contributed information.
The EcoAtlas provides a classification system
describing the level of certainty for the shape, location,
and size for each historical feature in the map based on
a file of supporting information. Based on these
classifications, composite "landscapes" can be
assembled to depict past or present conditions. For
example, the Native Landscape View (c.1770-1820) is a
composite picture based on information gleaned from
thousands of documents examined at archives
throughout the region. The sources included 18th and
19th century maps, paintings, photographs, engineering
reports, explorers'journals, hunting magazines, and
interviews with elders. While the Native Landscape
View likely approximates pre-European conditions at a
regional scale, with substantial local detail, it must be
emphasized that substantial uncertainty may be present
at a local scale. The Modern Landscape View (c. 1998)
is based on infrared aerial photography taken during the
winter of 1995-96 and confirmed by more than 100
local and regional experts.
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Over time the EcoAtlas has continued to evolve. SFEI is currently incorporating new layers of regional
and local information into the EcoAtlas including data on native and introduced species, aquatic
contaminants, local watershed habitat, infrastructure and aerial-imagery. EcoAtlas has been used in
diverse public settings for science, planning, and education. Curricular materials based on the EcoAtlas
have been designed and tested by a local school district. SFEI has made the EcoAtlas accessible through
the SFEI website and by providing paper maps and documents. Along with helping stakeholders to
envision habitat restoration goals, it is hoped that the EcoAtlas will enhance a regional sense of place and
purpose and provide a useful tool for those who wish to see a sustainable future.
For further information, contact Robin Grossinger, The San Francisco Estuary Institute; 180 Richmond
Field Station, 1325 South 46th Street, Richmond, CA 94804; E-mail: robin@sfei.org; Phone: (510) 231 -
5742. Access the EcoAtlas on-line at www.sfei.org |i:xiT| Information for this article was
excerpted and edited from an article in the Winter 1998-99 California Coast & Ocean newsletter and the
San Francisco Estuary Institute website.
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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.
Disclaimer: The information in this website is entirely drawn from issues of newsletters published
between 1994 and 2002 and these issues will not been updated since the original publication date. Users
are cautioned that information reported at the time of original publication may have become outdated.
Liquid Assets 2000: America's Water Resources at a Turning Point -
New Report Says Clean Water is Important to the Economy
Liquid Assets 2000: America's Water Resources at a Turning Point provides a snapshot of the economic
value of clean water, the problems we face in the new millennium, and the actions we must take to
protect and restore the nation's water resources. This report explores the current conditions of the nation's
water resources and demonstrates the link between clean water and a strong economy by focusing upon
specific businesses and activities that rely on clean water.
In Liquid Assets 2000, EPA reports that:
• A third of all Americans visit coastal areas each year, making a total of 910 million trips while
spending about $44 billion. Each year, millions of additional dollars go to noncoastal recreational
waterways;
• Water used for irrigating crops and raising livestock helps American farmers produce and sell
$197 billion worth of food and fiber each year;
Manufacturers use more than nine trillion gallons of fresh water every year;
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• Every year, the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and coastal areas produce more than ten billion
pounds of fish and shellfish;
• States have identified almost 300,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than five million acres
of lakes that do not meet state water quality goals;
• In 1998, about one-third of the 1,062 beaches reporting to EPA had at least one health advisory or
closing; more than 2,500 fish consumption advisories or bans were issued by states in areas where
fish were too contaminated to eat.
To obtain copies of this report, visit EPA's web site at www.epa.gov/ow/liquidassets or call EPA's Office
of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds at (202) 260-7040.
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