From Stem to Stern II: Statewide Boating Conference Returns
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
http://www.flseagrant.org/boating/StemtoStern/
After a six‐year hiatus, the statewide boating and waterway management conference “From Stem to Stern” returns May 15‐17 in Clearwater Beach at the Marriott Suites on Sand Key. Registration for the event is now open, and you can take advantage of the early‐bird registration fee of $100 if you register before April 2.
The first “From Stem to Stern” conference was held in 2006, and attendees seemed to really recognize the need for boating and waterway stakeholders from around Florida to gather and discuss issues facing their counties and regions. This year’s invited speakers will address events that have transpired in the interim, including updates on state legislation affecting navigation and working waterfront communities, the state’s anchoring and mooring program that is being pilot‐tested in five cities; and issues related to waterway access and environmental protection. The flyer at the end of the newsletter provides more conference details.
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Join Us During Your Lunch Hour, and Bring Your Brown Bag
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
We offer a FREE brown bag webinar series to help you make informed decisions about purchasing and eating Florida seafood. You’ll also learn how seafood makes it from the ocean to your table, and the sustainability and safety associated with some of Florida’s most commercially valuable seafood products. Never participated in a webinar? With an internet connection, it is pretty easy. Our next one will be April 11 from 12:15 to 12:45, and it will be about mackerel. For more information, visit http://floridaseafoodwebinar.eventbrite.com/ or contact Bryan Fluech, Collier County Sea Grant Extension Agent at fluech@ufl.edu.
Florida Sea Grant/Rookery Bay Scientific Angler Series
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
March 21: Tracking Mercury Through the Food Web in Southwest Florida Coastal Waters
Dr. Darren Rumbold‐ Florida Gulf Coast University
April 10: Tarpon Fishing. What Matters, What Doesn’t, and How You Can Help
Dr. Kathy Guindon‐ FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
These are held from 6:30‐8 pm at the Rookery Bay Reserve Environmental Learning Center. We’ve got some great speakers lined up to discuss ongoing research and conservation projects related to our regional fisheries. Visit Bryan Fluech’s blog at http://collierseagrant.blogspot.com/2011/11/2012‐scientific‐angler‐seminar‐series.html for complete details.
New Certification Program for Ecotour Operators and Nature‐Based Attractions
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
Florida’s first voluntary certification program for ecotour operators has been launched in 2011 by the Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism (Florida SEE). The Florida SEE certification program responds to a demand from
environmental educators and ecotour operators for a program to recognize tour companies and attractions who are committed to the principles of ecotourism.
The goal of the Florida SEE Certification Program is to certify responsible Ecotourism Operators who contribute to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of Florida. Certified Florida SEE members will be recognized as preferred service providers who are committed to using best practices for ecological sustainability, natural area management, and quality ecotourism experiences.
The program was developed over a three‐year period by leading ecotour operators, educators and land managers, who conducted exhaustive research of the certification programs of some of the world’s major ecotourism destinations, including Australia and Costa Rica. Standards were adapted to Florida’s unique ecosystems, and criteria developed based on the expertise of committee members. Ecotour operators and attractions from throughout Florida can achieve certification status of one to four stars.
Social Marketing and Seagrass Protection
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
Seagrasses play a vital role in the health of Florida’s estuarine environment, providing food and shelter for a wide variety of sea life, including many recreationally and commercially important species. They also keep water clean and clear by taking up nutrients and trapping sediment. Seagrasses are under constant threat. Changes to water 
quality and flow, dredging activities and land‐based construction leading to erosion may all lead to a decrease in seagrass coverage. Boater impacts, such as propeller scarring, also play a role in reducing the resilience and quality of the beds.
Propeller scarring occurs when vessels motor through water shallower than what they were designed for. Research conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has shown that cumulative scar damage may result in a reduction of wildlife habitat and affect
wildlife populations. (You can read more about the research at: http://myfwc.com/research/gis/projects/sociogeographic/boat-propeller-scar-damage-charlotte-harbor/ )
Stopping Invasive Species in Ballast Water
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
Nearly a century after the first documented introduction of an alien species via ballast water, national and international agencies are finally firming up new regulations to reduce the potential for other invasive species to be transferred.
The U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the International Maritime Organization — all have proposals on the table that would require ballast water to meet certain standards before discharge. Ballast water can contain many living creatures, including larval forms. Therefore they can be a major avenue for introducing foreign species.
The challenge has been the fact that ballast water is critical to the safety of a ship. The weight of the ballast (placed below the ships waterline) keeps the ship from turning over in rough seas. Exchanging it at sea can be dangerous. Treating ballast water to kill stowaways is technically challenging and new technologies are just beginning to become available.
“Ballast is not really optional, it’s essential to maintaining stability,” notes Bill Richardson, research associate at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute who conducted a series of tests on ballast water between 2003 and 2006. Ballast has been used for hundreds of years, he adds. “The rocks at Ballast Point were discharged from ships in the early 1800s when Ballast Point was a prominent port for shipping cattle. The accumulated ballast is said to include rock from almost every seacoast in the world.
DEP Designates 250th Clean Marina
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
Sarasota Yacht Club has been named the 250th Clean Marina in the state, joining 37 in the Tampa Bay region that already have earned the designation recognizing their commitment to protecting Florida’s waters and natural resources.
The Clean Marina program requires that marinas evaluate their operations, implement a series of environmental housekeeping measures specific to their site and educate boaters on ways to minimize impacts. After completing the application, an on‐site visit confirms that the marina meets the program’s stringent standards. For a list of local facilities who have earned the Clean Marina designation, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/cleanmarina/marinas.htm.
Source: Bay Soundings
Some Amazing Notes from the Sponge World
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
Sponge Coat
Throughout my career a special research interest of mine has been sponges. Projects I have been involved in include assessing the sustainability of the commercial bath sponge fishery, and assessing sponge population recovery following mortality events such as harmful algal blooms and hurricanes. I often get some interesting tidbits about sponges from my colleagues around the world and thought I would share a couple with you.
Sponge Clothing! Are you kidding me? A colleague of mine in Ireland reports a coat made of sponges from the Philippines. Evidently it is now in a museum. Definitely unique, maybe it will show up on the runway at the Academy Awards. However, I don’t think it would make a good rain coat!
Could Hatcheries Cost Fish Ability to Survive in Wild?
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
A new study indicates that the impact of a hatchery environment on steelhead trout may cost fish the natural ability to survive in the wild. The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, surprised researchers by the pure speed at which hatchery fish seem to evolve. The study, based on a 19‐year analysis of steelhead trout in Oregon’s Hood River, clearly showed that intense evolutionary pressures in the hatchery rapidly select for fish that excel there, at the expense of their reproductive success in the wild.
Source: Bay Soundings
Gone fishing? We have for 42,000 years!
May 2, 2012 | Posted by admin
An Australian archaeologist has uncovered the world’s oldest evidence of deep sea fishing for big fish, showing that 42,000 years ago our ancestors had mastered one of the world’s favorite pastimes.
Working at an archaeology site in East Timor (Southeast Asia), Professor Sue O’Connor found more than 38,000 fish bones from 2,843 individual fish. The world’s oldest fish hook was also uncovered. The results of this work were recently published in the prestigious journal Science.
“These finds have shown us that early modern humans in island Southeast Asia had amazingly advanced maritime skills. They were expert at catching the types of fish that would be challenging even today – fish like tuna,” reported Dr. O’Connor.
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