Website

https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/project?id=27

Region(s)

NW

Summary

This project will address boat damage to shallow seagrass beds in the Florida Panhandle by restoring scars located primarily in turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) habitats in St. Joseph Bay Aquatic Preserve in Gulf County. Additional potential sites include Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserve in Franklin County, and St. Andrews Aquatic Preserve, in Bay County. This project will also Install non-regulatory Shallow Seagrass Area signage, update existing signage and buoys where applicable, and install educational signage and provide educational brochures about best practices for protecting seagrass habitats at popular boat ramps in St. Joseph Bay, Alligator Harbor, and St. Andrews Bay. The restoration work includes surveying and mapping scarring within the seagrass habitats in the three Aquatic Preserves.

Parameters

Species identification within restored scar; Species coverage (percent coverage) within restored scar; and % of scar restored.

Notes

Monitoring and data collection for project has been completed as of August 2025.

Application

Address boat damage to SAV

Publications

Start

2020

End

2025

Frequency

Annual

Method

Braun-Blanquet. Per Jon Brucker: they will monitor species identification within restored scar; species coverage (percent coverage) within restored scar; % of scar restored. Performance Criteria: i. Two growing seasons (approximately 18 to 24 months) after placement of sediment tubes, bird stakes, and signage, scars that do not naturally revegetate to a minimum score of 3 (25 to 50% cover) on the Braun-Blanquet scale will be planted with seagrass species transplanted from potential donor sites within the AP, or seagrass planting units will be purchased and installed, as funding allows. ii. At year 3, treated scars revegetate to a minimum score of 4 (50 to 75% coverage) on the Braun-Blanquet scale in scarred areas at the completion of the project, using the Braun-Blanquet assessment method, or other appropriate techniques.

Discontinuity

Data Location

In-house and NOAA DIVER portal

Data Format

Habitats

RCP Program not part of SEACAR analysis

SEACAR Citation

Alternative Citation

indicates priority attributes