Full Text
Oyster Reef Habitat Restoration in St. Andrew Bay Katie Konchar Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Habitat and Species Conservation Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Restoration ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Drainage Canals Panama City Beach Wastewater Effluent Aquaculture Impoundments Aquaculture Barrier Nets ---PAGE BREAK--- Seagrass Trends West Bay has suffered the greatest seagrass loss in the St. Andrew Bay estuary system ; approximately 2000 acres since 1953 (Costanza et al. 1997) ---PAGE BREAK--- Project Goals: Strategically place subtidal oyster reef networks that will: Increase oyster population Improve water quality Attenuate wave energy Provide shoreline protection Enhance fisheries habitat Create conditions more suitable for seagrass recruitment in adjacent habitat Educate the public about the many benefits that healthy oyster populations can provide. Engage community volunteers/students. Use new techniques in oyster restoration that could be used as a model for future restoration efforts in NW Florida. ---PAGE BREAK--- ---PAGE BREAK--- OVERHEAD VIEW CROSS SECTION VIEW Existing substrate Oyster Bag Wall with Cultch Center ---PAGE BREAK--- CROSS SECTION VIEW Existing substrate OVERHEAD VIEW Coir Mat with Attached Oyster Shell ---PAGE BREAK--- Coconut Fiber ---PAGE BREAK--- Monitoring to determine whether reefs are achieving restoration goals and allow for adaptive management. Measuring Success Reef height and areal dimension Oyster density and size-frequency distribution Water quality measurements salinity, DO) Seagrass coverage ---PAGE BREAK--- RESTORE Act Multi-Year Implementation Plan objectives: 1.7 Recreation 1.8 Conserve and protect natural resources 2.1 Improve and protect the St. Andrew Bay watershed 2.2 Improve and protect water quality 2.3 Protect seagrass beds 2.4 Increase awareness of wildlife habitat 2.6 Preserve and restore dune systems and living shorelines 2.7 Contribute to the protection and recovery of protected species ---PAGE BREAK--- Questions?