Seagrass Protection

St. Andrew Bay Seagrass Protection

Boat propeller damage to seagrass beds is becoming more pronounced each year in St. Andrew Bay as the number of boaters continues to rise. St. Andrew Bay RMA, in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), has started a program to address this problem. The program has two components:

1. Boater awareness -- Signs will be placed at boat ramps and large marinas. These signs were designed and paid for by RMA through a grant with Arizona Chemical Company. Things to do: Much work remains in selecting appropriate locations, coordinating with responsible parties, building sign frames, and acquiring more signs.

2. Buoys marking seagrass beds - FWS and RMA have implemented a pilot program to test the effectiveness of marking seagrass beds with buoys to warn boaters of shallow water. An image of the buoy is also a prominent graphic feature of the seagrass signs. This part of the project has the most work remaining. Things to do: Evaluate effectiveness, modify and replace anchoring and up-line methods, select other locations, install more buoys, etc. The most important task is to find an entity to take over the project (buy, install, and maintain buoys). Maintenance may be the limiting factor. Bay County has shown some interest in providing funds. The PC Dive Club has expressed interest in installing and maintaining. A sportfish group would also be appropriate. The possibilities are wide open at this time.