|
Florida waters contain the largest
seagrass meadow in the world. Approximately 2.2 million acres of
seagrass beds have been mapped in Florida waters, including more than
16,500 acres along the shores of Sarasota County.
According to Amanda Dominguez of Sarasota County’s Water Resources,
nearly all of the commercially and recreationally important estuarine
and marine animals depend on seagrass beds as refuge or habitat for some
part of their life, making them directly responsible for bringing in
millions of dollars annually to the state of Florida from out-of-state
and resident recreational and commercial fishermen.
Dominguez will host a free community presentation entitled “Seagrass:
Sarasota’s Marine Meadows” as part of Sarasota County's Beach University
at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 14, at the Siesta Key Beach Pavilion, 948
Beach Road, Sarasota.
Since 2006, Sarasota County has been mapping the area’s seagrass beds to
track their evolution.
“The information that has been generated from the county’s survey has
culminated in a baseline map of seagrass that will allow the county to
identify areas of concern where seagrass beds are diminishing,” said
Dominguez. “The information gathered through this program allows us to
identify seagrass trends and manage these systems appropriately.”
The information gathered is critical because seagrass beds serve as
nurseries for juvenile fish, scallops, crabs and shrimp. Manatees,
turtles, sharks and rays feed on the plants themselves or on the smaller
creatures that live there. Many birds also feed in the grass flats.
“Seagrass also helps maintain water quality by filtering and anchoring
sediments; without it, most of the region’s sea creatures habitat would
be unstable shifting sand and mud,” said Dominguez
Dominguez notes that seagrass is often a victim of its own success,
drawing boaters into richly populated underwater beds. “Many boat
operators do not realize that when a propeller cuts across a seagrass
meadow, it not only destroys the seagrass blades, it often tears up the
network of runners that anchors seagrass to the bottom and transports
nutrients the plant needs,” said Dominguez.
For more information, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at
861-5000 or visit www.scgov.net, keyword search Resource Protection.
|