Project Summary

2. Habitat Restoration/Protection
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)		Workshop to address seagrass recovery

3. Project description (100 words or less)

Description of the Issue to be Resolved by the Project

Seagrass restoration and recovery are primary goals for several Eastern Gulf of Mexico coastal management programs, including Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, and Florida Bay. To date, nutrient reduction strategies implemented in Tampa and Sarasota Bays have resulted in successful recovery of up to 20% of the acreage lost to historic water quality degradation.

However, recent mapping results indicate that, although seagrass beds are continuing to expand on a baywide basis, the rate of seagrass recovery has slowed in some areas. In several segments of Tampa Bay, expansion rates appear to have leveled off, despite the presence of water quality and light levels adequate to support continued expansion. Local scientists have been to explore factors other than water quality which may be impacting the recovery of seagrasses to areas where they have historically been present. Potential factors include propeller scarring, ship wakes, seagrass disease and changes in physical factors such as offshore bars.

Description of the Proposed Project

Interactions and discussions with national experts is needed to assist with development of most effective long-term management strategies for non-water quality impacts to seagrass recovery. The objectives of this proposed workshop are to:

1. Bring together local (Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Program) and national scientists and coastal managers to examine potential non-water quality impacts affecting seagrass growth and expansion;
2. Discuss, in an interactive and informal workshop format, potential management options deemed to be most effective for addressing these impacts; and
3. Produce a high-quality Symposium Proceedings document for distribution to coastal managers around the nation. The Proceedings document would include invited and submitted papers and recommendations from the working group discussions.

The proposed format consists of a 3-day working session:

Day 1: Symposium presentations, with invited and contributed papers

Day 2: morning: Continuation of presentations
Day 2: afternoon: Field trip to visit impacted area in Tampa Bay with core working group

Day 3: Small working group session to discuss and identify most effective management options. All Symposium participants invited to attend, but core working group to be kept small (10-15).

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list) Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

Budget Request to the Gulf of Mexico Program: $15,000 total

$5,000 to assist with travel funds for invited core working group participants
$10,000 for assistance with production and printing of Symposium Proceedings

We also request assistance from Gulf Program staff with planning and advertising Symposium. Funds are requested by May 2000, to allow for invited travel and planning.

Cash

Federal

Non Federal

State government
Local government
Private industry
Public interest groups

Total

In-Kind Services (hours, equipment, or other forms of assistance and estimated dollar value)

Volunteers (number of people and hours, and estimated dollar value)

7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

9. Project Status

Schedule:

Planning starts February, 2000
Symposium in August 2000
Symposium Proceedings, January 2001

• Initiation date:
• Completion date:
• Current stage: (Initiated - I, Underway - U or Completed - C)

10. Contacts

11. Any additional information/comments