“Seas” the 12 months: Florida Sea Grant Displays on Program Highlights from 2023 – Cyber Tech

“The world is your oyster” encapsulates the concept that amid tribulations, quite a few alternatives await. In 2023, we confronted threats posed by local weather change, together with rising sea ranges, record-breaking water temperatures, catastrophic storms, and shifting marine ecosystems. Undeterred by these quite a few challenges, the Florida Sea Grant group labored diligently to offer progressive applications and initiatives to guard our pure assets and communities. As we embark into 2024, we have a good time these initiatives, exploring how they provide options to foster a renewed sense of accountability and promise a extra sustainable and resilient future for our oceans.

Residing Shorelines Coaching Course

Residing shorelines have garnered curiosity amongst panorama professionals, marine contractors, and householders, as these nature-based buildings are acknowledged for decreasing harm and erosion and providing important ecosystem companies. Regardless of the devastation from Hurricane Idalia – probably the most highly effective storm to land in Florida’s Large Bend area since 1896 – Cedar Key’s residing shorelines proved resilient towards Idalia’s forces.

The inception of the Residing Shorelines Coaching Course for Marine Contractors got here to fruition in 2019; the rising curiosity prompted the growth of this system into the next years. For 2023-2024, the coaching course obtained help from the Florida Division of Environmental Safety to conduct in-person coaching in 12 areas all through Florida, providing a larger quantity and distribution of the programs this 12 months. Not like the 2-day digital coaching course in 2021, this 12 months’s program included a extra hands-on group strategy, together with area visits.

“Members had the possibility to watch residing shorelines and see how they make a distinction. We confirmed them a few tasks, confirmed them potential websites, and had them develop a plan and design for a residing shoreline. There are extra actions on this 12 months’s course, giving individuals an opportunity to work together with presentation supplies and see residing shorelines as a substitute of simply listening to about them,” stated Mandy Baily, Florida Sea Grant Residing Shoreline Program Assistant and Course Facilitator.

A complete of 165 college students accomplished each days of the in-person course, fostering networking alternatives amongst professionals, householders, regulators, and instructors. The 2023 program sought to entice extra contractors and panorama professionals to take part, however the excessive variety of native authorities workers in attendance reveals one other stakeholder keen on studying extra about this nature-based resolution. The inclusion of visitor instructors from federal, state, and native companies talking on allowing supplied alternatives for individuals to ask questions they could have been intimidated to do in any other case. In response to elevated curiosity, a further workshop individually funded from the coaching programs supplied a deeper exploration of allowing residing shorelines. The coaching was performed at seven areas in Florida on July 12, 2023, attracting over 180 registrants.

Return ‘Em Proper group attaches a descending gadget and launch software to purple snapper. Picture courtesy of Nick Haddad, Florida Sea Grant.

Return ‘Em Proper

Recognized for its distinctive continental basin and temperate waters, the Gulf of Mexico attracts quite a lot of reef fish species and anglers searching for probably the most prized catch. To reinforce the survival of reef fish within the Gulf of Mexico, the Return ‘Em Proper (RER) program was launched to teach anglers on finest launch practices for reef fish experiencing barotrauma.

In 2023, Return ‘Em Proper launched an up to date training module that includes new angler-driven content material and technical tweaks to enhance useability. Greater than 17,000 Gulf anglers, together with 500 constitution captains, accomplished the coaching, bringing this system’s complete training module completions and kit distributions to over 28,000 anglers in two quick years! Observe-up surveys revealed 97% satisfaction with the gear bundle and a shifting desire in direction of descending gadget use by personal anglers.

Social media remained a precedence and Return ‘Em Proper reached over 285,000 individuals and amassed 500,000 impressions in 2023. This system engaged anglers from 47 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and worldwide areas equivalent to Trinidad & Tobago, Australia, South Africa, and Seychelles. In 2023, the RER group offered to a various set of stakeholders at 15 shops, together with tournaments, commerce reveals, conferences, fishing golf equipment, and extra. This outreach concerned internet hosting a workshop in Australia and presenting within the Bahamas.

“The constructive response from the fishing group has been probably the most inspiring elements of this program. In 2024, we’re excited to proceed to construct a way of group round Return ‘Em Proper and foster training by means of tournaments, deal with store outreach, and different new initiatives,” stated Nick Haddad, a consultant of the RER group.

Eyes on Seagrass volunteers conducting surveys in Charlotte County. Picture courtesy of Kate Rose, Florida Sea Grant.

Eyes on Seagrass

What do you name a volunteer captivated with surveying seagrass? A ‘sea’-grassroots advocate! This 12 months, a rising variety of Floridians dived into Eyes on Seagrass, a citizen science program empowering volunteers to observe seagrass meadows in Charlotte, Sarasota, Escambia, and Santa Rosa Counties. This system conducts surveys on seagrass, macroalgae, and water high quality, offering supplemental information for governmental and analysis companies.

In 2023, the Charlotte County program recruited 102 volunteers (37% of which have been returning) to conduct a complete of 85 surveys. Earlier than becoming a member of, 26% of citizen scientists thought-about themselves seagrass stewards, a quantity that soared to 82% after participation, indicating elevated consciousness and dedication. This 12 months, this system enhanced coaching accessibility with improved coaching supplies, together with revamped area guides and on-line coaching movies.

Following Hurricane Ian’s impression in Southwest Florida, Eyes on Seagrass volunteers performed post-storm surveys in April and July 2023. Their findings have been showcased on the Benthic Ecology Assembly and the Coastal & Heartland Nationwide Estuary Partnership Watershed Summit. On account of presenting the collected information, the Charlotte Harbor FWC Fisheries Unbiased Monitoring Lab expressed curiosity in collaboration, whereas the Southwest Florida Shellfish Affiliation thought-about adopting this system’s strategies for monitoring seagrass round clam restoration tasks.

Venturing northward within the Gulf, the Eyes on Seagrass Panhandle program skilled 21 volunteers, with 67% collaborating in survey assortment in 2023.  Coaching for the Panhandle program begins in March, and volunteers survey websites month-to-month between April 1 and September 30. As an alternative of gathering algae samples, volunteers collect water samples for evaluation, overlaying a complete surveyed space of 140 sq. meters this 12 months. These efforts supported graduate work on the College of West Florida, the place citizen volunteers logged 168 hours. The water samples collected have been analyzed by graduate college students, who additionally did web site visits to monitor water high quality.

A younger angler implements finest fishing practices suggested within the FFA on-line coaching course. Picture courtesy of Mike Sippos, Florida Sea Grant.

Florida Pleasant Angler (FFA) and Florida Pleasant Fishing Guides (FFFG)

Florida is the fishing capital of the world, with over 2.4 million leisure licensed anglers contributing to a $13.8 billion financial impression, which helps 1000’s of jobs yearly. Recognizing fishing’s profound affect on the state’s economic system, atmosphere, and tradition, educating residents and guests is essential for the sustainable enjoyment of pure assets.

Florida Sea Grant created the Florida Pleasant Fishing Information Certification Program (FFFG) in 2019 for the Florida for-hire fishing trade. The FFFG course content material educates guides on finest practices when conducting an eco-minded fishing expertise out on the water but additionally covers matters equivalent to seafood dealing with and security. To this point, this system has over 119 licensed guides and has sparked curiosity from constitution operators, leisure anglers, and different Sea Grant applications. In 2023 Ohio Sea Grant launched their Erie PrOH Information Certification Program, which was impressed by the FFFG and educates each for-hire captains and crew on conservation-oriented finest practices within the Nice Lakes!

In Could of 2022, the Florida Pleasant Angler Certification Program (FFA) was launched in response to leisure angler curiosity within the Florida Pleasant Fishing Information Certification Program. Catering to all leisure anglers and anybody partaking with Florida’s aquatic environments, the FFA is a free, narrated, self-paced on-line training program that covers finest fishing practices, environmental ethics, and fisheries administration. In 2023 the FFA program acquired awards from the Affiliation of Pure Useful resource Professionals (ANREP) in instructional know-how in addition to advertising. With over 2,300 registered customers thus far, a post-course survey revealed that 89% of individuals retained this system’s teachings, 92% have been impressed to undertake sustainable fishing practices, and a formidable 96% would suggest the Florida Pleasant Angler Program. Wanting forward, a Spanish-translated model of this system, together with fisheries science movies, is ready to launch in 2024.

A group of specialists from NOAA, South Atlantic Sea Grant applications, and native environmental engineers conduct surveys and assessments to plot a plan for inexperienced stormwater infrastructure. Picture courtesy of Dr. Jason Evans, Stetson College.

Inexperienced Stormwater Infrastructure to Mitigate Flooding Points in Cape Canaveral

Cape Canaveral’s beacon of innovation that embraces cutting-edge science and know-how extends past area exploration! Lately, town has actively harnessed inexperienced infrastructure within the battle towards local weather change. From 2020 to 2023, a collaborative effort involving regional companions, together with the NOAA Workplace for Coastal Administration and the Sea Grant applications of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, aimed to develop flood-resilient transportation infrastructure within the Southeastern Atlantic coastal area.

Dr. Jason Evans at Stetson College built-in inexperienced and nature-based options to handle flooding challenges alongside transportation corridors in Cape Canaveral. A desktop software was developed to determine appropriate public lands for inexperienced stormwater infrastructure tasks. This data supported a public engagement course of attended by 50 locals and the event of a conceptual plan that guided the acquisition of 15 acres for a regional stormwater park to handle drainage considerations.

“The Metropolis of Cape Canaveral benefitted from the collaboration of regionally-based investigators with native consulting environmental engineers to design nature-based options to handle persistent nuisance flooding. Regional teamwork strengthened the impression of native adaptation measures and outcomes,” says Dr. Jason Evans, Mission Principal Investigator at Stetson College.

The Metropolis of Cape Canaveral secured grants from Resilient Florida and the Florida Division of Environmental Safety, totaling $717,500 for developing a pump tide gate to mitigate flooding. The mission additionally acquired help from the Nationwide Science Basis’s (NSF) Civic Innovation Problem Stage 1 and Stage 2 for mission growth, together with the development and monitoring of a Inexperienced Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). Subsequently, grant funds from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations have been used to put in water degree gauges and a water high quality sensor, enhancing flood monitoring capabilities within the metropolis.

Scallop sorter. Picture courtesy of UF/IFAS Florida Sea Grant.

Scallop Sorters 

Bay scallops are indicator species that replicate environmental circumstances together with sediment masses, oxygen ranges, salinity, and temperature. The presence of considerable scallops in an space is reflective of a wholesome system! On the similar time, scallops are vulnerable to shifts in oceanic and local weather circumstances, cautioning for sustainable scallop harvesting practices. 

In 2022, Florida Sea Grant launched scallop sorters to protect juvenile scallops for replica. After post-survey suggestions, the general public advisable rising the dimensions of the software from the dimensions of the sorting gap from 1.5 inches to 2 inches. The 2023 season noticed excessive demand for scallop sorter instruments, with 1,578 sorters distributed; practically double the earlier 12 months! By the tip of the season, sorters have been distributed in 13 counties. Final 12 months, they have been solely distributed in 3. Publish-survey suggestions with a 6.7% survey response fee indicated instruments have been used on 284 journeys, returning nearly 3,500 small scallops to the water.

FSG Communications built-in the scallop sorter rollout with a profitable social media marketing campaign in 2023. Weekly movies on Instagram and Fb garnered 11,774 individuals and 14,832 views. 

“Originally of the season, the aim was to maintain the distribution in Hernando and Taylor Counties. Nonetheless, phrase unfold like wildfire and people have been calling my workplace and emailing me from all over. We additionally had of us come to our workplace and fishing golf equipment straight reached out to us for the sorter instruments, which didn’t occur the 12 months earlier than,” stated Brittany Corridor-Scharf, Florida Sea Grant’s UF/IFAS Extension Agent for Hernando County. 

Attendees at Coral Illness Technical Workshop. Picture courtesy of Maurizio Martinelli, Florida Sea Grant.

Corals Coordinators Set up Response to Coral Restoration

Florida Sea Grant, in collaboration with the Nationwide Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, UF Institute of Meals and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, and Florida Division of Environmental Safety, is actively addressing the challenges dealing with Florida’s coral reefs, together with elevated water temperatures, poor water high quality, intense storms, and illness. The collaborative effort focuses on coordinating initiatives, establishing consensus on conservation objectives, and quickly disseminating data by means of networks and workshops.

This Could, Florida Sea Grant hosted the annual Coral Illness Technical Workshop, internet hosting over 70 companions, together with representatives from state and federal companies, tutorial establishments, and non-governmental organizations. The workshop mentioned leveraging successes in stony coral tissue loss illness response to profit broader coral reef conservation wants. This initiative marks the evolution of the Florida Coral Reef Resilience Program, emphasizing a speedy response framework for acute disturbances.

Florida Sea Grant coral coordinators working with NOAA performed a pivotal function in information dissemination by creating reality sheets and an annual publication on Stony Coral Tissue Loss Illness. These assets share coral illness insights, updates, improvements, and accomplishments throughout U.S. coral jurisdictions. Moreover, their efforts to boost collaboration are evident in serving to arrange the U.S. Regional Caribbean Stony Coral Tissue Loss Illness Workshop in Puerto Rico. The workshop facilitated data change, coordination, and collaboration amongst coral researchers and managers from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Florida, aiming to enhance responses, coordination, and collaboration in U.S. Caribbean coral illness efforts.

“By coming collectively, individuals of the workshop demonstrated a shared imaginative and prescient and dedication to defending coral reefs within the U.S. Caribbean area. The change of information, fostering of collaborative tasks, and formulation of progressive options maintain promise for the way forward for these fragile ecosystems,” stated Lexie Sturm, 2023 Sea Grant Knauss Fellow, positioned in NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP).

A Hopeful Begin to 2024

Actually, 2023 introduced its justifiable share of surprises! As we step into 2024 and seek for attainable New 12 months’s resolutions, contemplate incorporating sustainable practices and become involved with native environmental actions. Florida presents a treasure trove of pure assets and biodiversity, so we should try for its safety. Keep in mind, the “world is your oyster” and there are numerous alternatives to develop into stewards of the atmosphere. Fortunate for you, your steward journey begins with among the applications talked about, and you may discover extra on the Florida Sea Grant citizen science web page to remain knowledgeable about future alternatives!