The Deepwater Horizon oil spill had a negative effect on the coastal habitats of the Gulf of Mexico. Beaches, marshes, oyster reefs, and other habitats were exposed to oil, affecting the plants and wildlife living in those areas. NOAA announced in December of 2016, the availability of up to $7 million for grant funding provided [...]
About 18 months ago we started out with 330,000 tiny clam babies, and have been carefully growing them in the Boca Grande under the watchful eye of a professional clam farmer. Despite some normal losses during growing, and unanticipated losses from Hurricane Irma, we are the proud parents of 200,000 top-neck size clams! These clams [...]
Sarasota Bay Watch’s 2018 is shaping up to be a full and fulfilling year! For the first time ever we will combine various student on-the-water cleanup events into one large high school waterway island restoration day. Volunteers from Riverview, Sarasota and Cardinal Mooney high schools will work together to remove trash and invasive species and [...]
Part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal program was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It was a public work relief program designed to provide jobs for young men during the depression. They worked on projects related to the conservation and development of natural resources in rural lands owned by federal, state and local governments. The program [...]
Over a quarter of a million! That’s how many clams Sarasota Bay Watch is growing with the help of a professional clam farmer. The clams were spawned in a shellfish hatchery and spent the first few months of their lives there, growing into 4 mm big “seed stock.” They next were placed in fine mesh [...]
We depend on your donations to help us bring you important news and updates about the marine environment and to provide our Public Service Announcements via local TV stations that alert you to impending red tide blooms. As one of our valued E-Newsletter readers, please include START in your charitable donations for 2016. You can [...]
Scientists have been detailing the benefits of healthy estuaries for decades – protecting shorelines from erosion and storms, improving water quality, providing vital habitat for economically valuable fish and marine species, and boosting local tourism. A new study underway in Tampa Bay focuses on yet another benefit: buffering both global and local ecosystems from the [...]
