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| SARP Newsletter | October 2010 |
With partners, protect, conserve, and restore aquatic resources including habitats throughout
the Southeast, for the continuing benefit, use, and enjoyment of the American people. |
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Legacy of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion
The explosion of British Petroleum's Deep Water Horizon oil rig on April 20th, 2010 had far-reaching effects throughout the Gulf of Mexico. From Day One until July 15, when the steady stream of oil and gas was brought under control, attention throughout the region and the nation was focused on cleanup, safety, and stopping the flow of pollutants into some of the most productive estuaries in the nation. Through it all, little was said about the direct and indirect effects of the leaking oil on habitat restoration projects from Florida to Texas.
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Terrace plantings off the LA Coast by the Jefferson Parish Dept. of Environmental Affairs delayed by lack of volunteers |
Good News, Bad News
The good news is that not one of SARP's restoration projects along the Gulf Coast has actually accrued oil or tar balls at the project site. The bad news is that restoration efforts sponsored by SARP and its partners (the NOAA Restoration Center and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan) were affected by the clean-up efforts. The three strategies that dominated clean-up -- containing the oil on the surface away from sensitive habitats, diluting and dispersing it in less sensitive areas, and removing it in all forms -- required so many volunteers, services and equipment that it effectively took the availability of these resources away from some projects. Other projects were barred temporarily from activities in the Gulf waters to avoid interfering with clean-up activities, and oil-blocking boom placed in front of some project sites blocked project activities.
The oil spill is now contained and all of SARP's restoration projects have resumed activity, although many have been granted no-cost extensions. The first research questions to emerge center on long-term effects of the explosion and resulting pollution to answer questions about bio-accumulation in fish, birds and plants, marsh plant resiliency, and other habitat changes. Eventually, the answers to these questions may affect SARP's restoration goals. |
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The Value of Community Involvement To Aquatic Habitat Restoration
Managers of habitat restoration efforts recognize the degree to which community buy-in and support at various levels are critical to a project's overall, long-term success. One outstanding case that clearly demonstrates the value that can be added by volunteers is the Eagle Point Oyster Reef Restoration Project in Galveston Bay, Texas. Factors such as the enlargement of the Houston Ship Channel altering the Bay's salinity regime, disease, hurricanes, and overharvesting have all resulted in the decline of healthy habitat and sustainable oyster populations. This SARP, USFWS and NOAA-funded project managed by Texas Parks & Wildlife (TPWD) involves a unique example of collaboration with a volunteer that is providing scientific data to help address critical questions about factors influencing the lifecycle and health of oyster populations in the Gulf.
 | | Photo credit: Gabby Quintana. Rodney and Quintana check oyster shells for spat at San Leon. |
At Eagle Point staff from TPWD is working with Friendswood High School Sophomore, Gabby Quintana, to collect data on factors affecting oyster reproductivity in Galveston and Sabine Bays. For Quintana, what started out largely as a curiosity about the stuffing and placement of shell bags to recruit oyster larvae (spat) along piers near her family's vacation home, formed the basis for a science fair project and has sparked a passion for the environment and the scientific method. Working with oyster biologist, Bill Rodney, her initial study was designed to simultaneously test the effects and interactions (presence/absence) of mature adult oysters and duration of disturbance (heat/desiccation stress) on oyster spat recruitment to shells in oyster gardening bags. A third factor in the study was the presence/absence of adult oysters. This also has a practical application, as it is probable that oyster larvae can detect chemical cues given off by live adult oysters and hone in on these cues to find favorable substrate/habitat for settlement. There is potential for this data to help biologists refine their methods to maximize the ecological benefits of oyster restoration, to reduce predation mortality, increase natural recruitment, and to also inform the science of benthic ecology.
Quintana, who has received awards for her science fair projects on oysters at the local, county and state levels, recently completed a similar study in nearby Sabine Bay where she doubled her sample size. This study would not have been possible without the cooperation and support of another stakeholder in the community, Cheniere Energy, which permitted
access at their private pier. As part of this study she also investigated the effects of pH, nitrites, nitrates, and ammonia on oyster populations. While the data from this study is still being analyzed, Rodney is excited about the work in the two different systems and hopes to gain added insight by comparing the results of the Eagle Point study with the findings from the Sabine study. Quintana's work on oysters has been a tremendous learning and life experience. "I now realize that oysters are such an important part of ecosystem health, not only at Eagle Point, but around the world. Their loss would be devastating."
For more information on the Eagle Point restoration project and the oyster studies, contact Bill Rodney, TPWD Oyster Restoration Biologist at bill.rodney@tpwd.state.tx.us or 281-534-0127. |
 | | Photo credit: Emily Watson. Watson with Coast Guard and USFWS commrades at Grand Isle, LA. |
An Oil Spill Response Experience
By SARP GIS Technician and USFWS Cartographer Emily Watson
I am privileged to say that I had a remarkable summer in Louisiana managing databases and creating maps as a part of the Wildlife Branch of the Deepwater Horizon/BP Oil Spill response efforts. Admittedly, I was a little apprehensive about being deployed to the Gulf considering the enormity of the situation. As you can image, I experienced an entire range of emotions in this type of situation. I was exhausted after working very long hours for 14 days straight. I was discouraged when a fledging pelican became oiled soon after it left the nest, but I felt the camaraderie amongst all groups in the Gulf when we learned that the well was capped. I was thrilled when I learned that a pelican that had been covered in oil was successfully rehabilitated and released in Georgia, and then was spotted back home to Louisiana a few weeks later...oil free.
I am proud to have worked with many great people who came together to recover and rehabilitate wildlife effected by the oil spill. My time in the Gulf further solidifies the work we are all doing at home to conserve and restore all aquatic resources that can impacted in the blink of an eye. I am excited to be back in Tennessee working on the Aquatic Habitat Assessment and am looking forward to making progress on this project to enhance the aquatic treasures we have in the Southeast. |
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SARP Reaches Out To Anglers At Forrest Wood Cup
SARP staff met many anglers while hosting a booth at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, GA at the Forrest Wood Cup Fishing Tournament held at Lake Lanier (August 5-8). According to SARP Communications Coordinator, Lindsay Gardner, "This was as an excellent opportunity for us to educate anglers about who we are, what we do via our state partners to help preserve and restore aquatic habitats, and initiatives that we have in place to improve fish populations in the region." NFHAP was also represented at the event, providing a banner
for SARP to use as part of the overall display.
SARP also debuted two new fact sheets geared toward a public audience and in association with the Southeast Native Black Bass Initiative, one on the Shoal Bass and another on the Guadalupe Bass, at the event. SARP's goal through this type of public education is to increase conservation-minded angling, help SARP to build capacity, and to open the lines of communication so that people can become more aware of SARP-sponsored project work going on in their states and find avenues to get involved.
We thank FLW Outdoors for their generous sponsorship of the SARP exhibit space! |
SARP Issues Fall Requests For Proposals
The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Community-based Restoration Program are now accepting proposals for their FY  2011 matching grant program. Proposals are due Oct. 22nd, 2010. Awards will be made in December and projects will begin in January 2011.
To access the full RFP click here. For more information or to submit a proposal electronically email Marilyn Barrett O'Leary at marilyno@southeastaquatics.net.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is now accepting aquatic habitat restoration project proposals for FY 2011 funding through the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) and the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. All proposals should be developed in coordination with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Resource Office listed for your state in the proposal form.
Proposals should be submitted by October 4, 2010. To access the full proposal click here. For more information contact Tripp Boltin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Fisheries Fish Habitat and Fish Passage Coordinator, 843-819-1229, walter_boltin@fws.gov. |
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SARP To Hold Steering Committee Meeting At SEAFWA Conference
SARP is pleased to announce that it will hold its fall Steering Committee Meeting as part of the 2010 SEAFWA Conference on October 17th-20th (the SARP meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 18th from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday the 19th from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) in Biloxi, Mississippi at the Beau Rivage Casino & Resort on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. For full conference details visit http://www.seafwa2010.org/.
If you have questions regarding the SARP meeting, please contact SARP Coordinator, Scott Robinson at scottr@southeastaquatics.net. |
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