Website

http://www.sarasota.wateratlas.usf.edu/oysters/?section=Oyster%20Monitoring%20Program

Region(s)

SW

Summary

The Sarasota County Oyster Monitoring Program was designed to examine the role of Crassostrea virginica (Eastern Oyster) as an environmental indicator of watershed health. In the fall of 2003, Sarasota County began monitoring C. virginica in the Dona and Roberts Bay (DARB) watershed to determine the impacts of freshwater flows from Cow Pen Slough and the Myakka River/Blackburn Canal. Sites were chosen in Shakett and Curry Creeks, and Lyons, Dona, and Roberts Bays. In addition to the oyster data, rainfall, salinity, and discharge flow data, where available, were collected and used in the analyses. Staff was able to establish a link between declines in the percentage of live oysters and increased freshwater input in those sites receiving high freshwater in-flows. In the fall of 2006, the program was expanded to include sites in other coastal watersheds: Sarasota Bay Watershed (Hudson Bayou and Phillippi Creek); Little Sarasota Bay Watershed (Matheny, North, Catfish, and South Creeks); and Lemon Bay Watershed (Alligator, Forked, Gottfried, and Ainger Creeks). The expanded monitoring program provides comprehensive data for the entire county that can be used to track watershed health, evaluate the success of watershed management projects, and track the overall success of the county's comprehensive watershed management practices.

Parameters

Number live oysters, number dead oysters, percent live, shell length for five longest live oysters (cm), recruitment, rainfall, salinity (ppt), specific conductivity (uS/cm), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), pH, temperature (deg. C), discharge rates

Notes

Application

To track watershed health, evaluate the success of watershed management projects, and track the overall success of the county's comprehensive watershed management practices.

Publications

Sarasota County Water Atlas, reports, presentations

Start

2003

End

Current

Frequency

Semiannual

Method

Enumeration of live and dead oysters within 25cm x 25cm quadrats randomly positioned on reef; largest five live oysters measured (cm) with measuring tape; water quality meters

Discontinuity

Dona and Roberts Bay monitoring started in 2003 and this was expanded to a county-wide effort in 2006.

Data Location

Sarasota County Water Atlas http://www.sarasota.wateratlas.usf.edu/oysters/?section=Oyster%20Monitoring%20Program

Data Format

shapefile

Habitats

Oyster/Oyster Reef

SEACAR Citation

Sarasota County (Florida). (2023). Sarasota County Comprehensive Oyster Monitoring Program. Updated 04/01/2024. Distributed by: SEACAR Data Discovery Interface, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. https://data.florida-seacar.org/programs/details/972

Alternative Citation

indicates priority attributes