FWC Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Restoration Section: Marine Habitat Management Marine/Estuarine Sub-Section
M/ESS Mission The Marine/Estuarine Subsection will: provide statewide management of marine and estuarine habitat by addressing coordinated conservation, protection and restoration needs, and will provide related information and services to the public.
Jeff Beal currently staffed Erin McDevitt
Leader Kent Smith MESS Leader Tallahassee
Manatee habitat Maria Merrill Statewide Biologist Tallahassee-HQ
Jeff Beal South Central Biologist Ft. Pierce-HBOI
Erin McDevitt-South Region Biologist West Palm Beach
??? Northwest Biologist Tallahassee-HQ
M/ESS Program Integrated, science-based marine/estuarine habitat management Restoration and Protection Non-native species Working groups (inter- and intra- agency) Education Environmental Commenting Imperiled Species 3 Regional biologists with specific regional and community expertise. (5 total staff)
How does M/ESS get the job done? Partnerships (federal, state, local, NGOs, private) Team work Influencing (e.g. commenting, work groups) Grants!!!!! (approx. $4.8million for projects)
M/ESS Program Integrated, science-based marine/estuarine habitat management Restoration and Protection Non-native species Working groups (inter- and intra- agency) Education Environmental Commenting Imperiled Species
Volusia Dragline-Ditched Marsh Restoration Project Restore coastal marsh elevations to 550 acres of ditched marsh in the Mosquito Lagoon Partners: FWC, SJRWMD, Volusia County, USFWS
Harbor Branch Mangrove Marsh Restoration Project St Lucie County, FL Restore hydrologic connectivity to a 178-acremangrove wetland through the stabilization of an existing eroding dike and the installation of culverts. Partners: FWC, St. Lucie County, FAU/Harbor Branch, FDEP, SFWMD, FIND
Grassy Flats Estuarine Restoration Project Lake Worth Lagoon Cap muck to restore and enhance19.83 acres of seagrass habitat, 1.74 acres of tidal marsh, tidal flat and mangroves, and 0.57 acre oyster reef Partners: PBC ERM(lead), USACE, USFWS, WPBFC, MIA, FDEP
Breaker s Reef Mooring Buoys Palm Beach County, FL Protect hardbottom/corals from anchors and allow for recovery of areas that have been impacted 6 Mooring Buoys and 12 pins (to allow for rotation) spanning 1km of nearshore hardbottom habitat were installed at Breakers Reef in Aug. 2009 Partners: FWC SWG, PBC ERM Program now expanded to include 38 total buoys on shallow reefs in Palm Beach County
Estuary Discharge Impacts on St. Lucie Reef Study gene expression, bacterial communities, and zooxanthellae to assess impacts of discharges on corals on the St. Lucie Reef. Partners: FWC SWG, HBOI Significant increases in coral stress gene expression during summer discharge events Future work: determine community impacts, study zooxanthellae and genetics to identify resilient clades and genotypes to influence habitat management
Incident Coordination and Response Groundings and cable drags (support FDEP) Marine debris incidents (respond and coordinate, e.g. Tenneco Towers net, SEAFAN) Oil spill response Photo credit: Miami-Dade County Photo credit: Bill Fay Photo credit: IDC
M/ESS Program Integrated, science-based marine/estuarine habitat management Restoration and Protection Non-native species Working groups (inter- and intra- agency) Education Environmental Commenting Imperiled Species
Lionfish Lionfish invasion has possible significant habitat implications. FWC Lionfish Working Group: Regulatory incentives (Executive Order to allow the harvest of lionfish w/o a recreational saltwater fishing license) Educational materials (posters, stickers, brochures, social media) Participation in derbies Research Lionfish Symposium Photo credit: REEF
M/ESS Program Integrated, science-based marine/estuarine habitat management Restoration and Protection Non-native species Working groups Education Environmental Commenting Imperiled Species
Teams and Influencing Work with FWC, partners, and stakeholders to support and influence marine habitat management: State Wildlife Grants- marine SEFCRI Shoreline Resilience NOAA Marine Debris Northern Estuaries Hj Recovery Manatee Habitat Lionfish Etc, etc, etc.
M/ESS Program Integrated, science-based marine/estuarine habitat management Restoration and Protection Non-native species Working groups (inter- and intra- agency) Education Environmental Commenting Imperiled Species
Provide marine habitat information and technical assistance to schools, dive/fishing clubs, inquiries from the public, and the media Education
M/ESS Program Integrated, science-based marine/estuarine habitat management Restoration and Protection Non-native species Working groups (inter- and intra- agency) Education Environmental Commenting Imperiled Species
Environmental Commenting Provide comments on behalf of FWC on regulatory applications, marine event permits, management plans Estuarine and marine habitat concerns: seagrass, hardbottom, saltmarsh, coral, mangroves, oysters Port expansions, dredging projects, marinas, USCG marine events, federal/state/local management plans
M/ESS Program Integrated, science-based marine/estuarine habitat management Restoration and Protection Non-native species Working groups (inter- and intra- agency) Education Environmental Commenting Imperiled Species
Imperiled Species Management FWC in process of writing integrated management plan for all state listed species. Pillar Coral Species Action Plan (MESS lead) Hj Recovery Team Florida Manatee Recovery Team
Questions??