by Rick O'Connor | Jun 17, 2017
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY DR. CHARLES ADAMS, FLORIDA SEA GRANT
The demand for seafood in the US continues to grow. This growth is a function of a number of factors, including the increased awareness of the healthful attributes of many finfish and shellfish products, the increased availability of several key imported, cultured species (shrimp, tilapia, pangasius), and more convenient packaging for home consumption, to name just a few. In terms of wild-caught seafood, effective management at the state and federal level helps ensure the sustainable harvest of traditionally important species, such as reef fish, scallops, flounders, mackerels, and crab.
The famous blue crab.
Photo: FWC
According to the latest data from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the US domestic fisheries fleet landed about 7.8 billion pounds of edible seafood products, valued at $5.2 billion. Florida plays an important role in this industry, particularly within the Gulf and South Atlantic region. Approximately $250 million worth of seafood is landed by the commercial harvesters in Florida on an annual basis, with some species being landed in Florida, and virtually nowhere else … including pink shrimp, spiny lobster, grouper and stone crab. But wild harvest is not the only source of finfish and shellfish products.
The commercial aquaculture industry is also growing, as the demand for species grown within controlled systems (such as catfish, oysters, striped bass, crawfish, and salmon) continues to increase. The latest NMFS data indicates that the commercial aquaculture industry in the US harvests approximately $1 billion worth of freshwater and saltwater species annually. The success story for aquacultured food items in Florida is molluscan shellfish, in particular cultured hard clams.
Though our wild seafood stocks are sustainably managed and aquaculture production is increasing, approximately 90% of the seafood consumed in the US is imported. Our domestic harvest and culture of seafood simply cannot keep up with demand. We are eating more and more seafood … with the latest NMFS estimate of annual, per capita seafood consumption being 15.5 lbs (edible meat weight). This is the highest level of per capita consumption since 2010. Even though demand is growing, consumers should be confident that the traditional species from our nation’s wild stocks will be there in the future. In addition, the aquaculture industry will help the seafood industry keep pace with growing demand. The seafood industry will continue to be an important source of incomes, jobs, and tax revenue for our coastal communities. And given the increasing number of cultured species and innovative packaging/preparation methods … now is a great time to be a seafood consumer!!
For more information about the US seafood industry, go to https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/commercial/fus/fus15/documents/FUS2015%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf.
by Rick O'Connor | May 27, 2017
On May 7, 2017 Marsha Stanton spotted a manatee swimming by her pier in Big Lagoon near Pensacola. I am sure this was an exciting moment and Marsha was interested in letting someone know so that the unusual encounter could be logged.
Manatee swimming by a pier near Pensacola.
Photo: Marsha Stanton
There are four species of manatee in the world; the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) is the one native to the South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf region. The Florida Manatee (T. manatus latirostris) is a subspecies that is found in Florida. The historic range of the Florida Manatee included all of the Gulf coast and the east coast as far as the Chesapeake Bay. However, the increase in humans triggered a decrease in manatees. In the 1970’s it was rare to find the animal outside of the Florida peninsula.
Florida first began protecting the animal in 1893 and today it is protected by the state with the Manatee Sanctuary Act, the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the federal Endangered Species Act. In the 1970’s the population of Florida Manatees was estimated to be about 1000 animals, today there are an estimated 6000. Due to the increase throughout its range, the animal has now been moved from ENDANGERED to THREATENED. In 2016, 521 manatee deaths were logged with FWC. The average for a month was 43. The majority of these were logged as unknown or perinatal (associated with the weeks before and after birth) and the highest for a month was in February. Boat strikes were logged as the largest problem for the months of January and July.
All that said, we would certainly like to protect any manatee that visit’s our area. So what can we do?
- If boating, use the marked channels. There is evidence that manatees try to avoid boat traffic by staying out of the boating areas.
- If you must leave the channel to reach your dock or the beach do so at idol speed. Wear polarized glasses and have a look out. Manatees do not break the surface as dolphins do, rather they generate “swirling eddies” as they move beneath the surface. So slow your movement and have a watchful eye and we can help reduce problems.
- If snorkeling, diving, or swimming near a manatee do not approach the animal; this can be stressful for them and could be reported as harassment by FWC; which could come with a fine. Allow the animal to move as it wishes and enjoy the experience.
- The same goes for a kayak or paddle encounter. Do not chase the manatee or separate mother from calf.
- Another issue has been feeding manatees or providing them freshwater from a hose. This practice has gone on a long time but researchers now know that this decreases the fear of humans by manatees and they return. This can cause boat strikes to increase. It is also considered harassment.
Marsha was interested in letting researchers know about this unusual encounter. However, researchers, and FWC, do not necessarily consider this as unusual as we think. Manatees have become a main stay at Wakulla Springs State Park during the colder months and are common enough in the Mobile Bay area that a manatee watch program has been developed. If the animal is distressed, injured, or you find a dead one you can report this to FWC at (888) 404-3922. If the animal is fine, healthy, and swimming just follow the basic rules listed above and enjoy a really cool experience with this really cool Floridian.
More information on “do’s” and “don’ts” can be found at
http://myfwc.com/education/wildlife/manatee/viewing-guidelines/.
http://myfwc.com/media/415226/manatee_fltreasure_bklt.pdf
by Rick O'Connor | Apr 29, 2017
I received a call the week before Earth Day to let me know that an alligator was laying on Pensacola Beach, on the Gulf side, near the gate to Ft. Pickens. This is certainly not something you see every day.
Alligator basking on the Escambia River; photo: Molly O’Connnor
Two questions came up…
One, Is this weird?
Two, Can alligators tolerate salt water?
Let us start with question 1 – is this weird?
Actually, it is not as weird as you may think. Alligators have been found on barrier islands of the northern Gulf of Mexico for decades. I myself have seen them at Big Sabine (though it has been many years since I saw one). As a student at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, we found them on Dauphin Island and on Petit Bois Island in Mississippi; I am sure they are on Horn Island in Mississippi as well. It is listed on the Gulf Islands National Seashore guide as one of the animals you may encounter in the park. They have been reported in the dune lakes of Walton County, and I have seen them at St. Andrew’s State Park in Panama City. So yea, they are found in our coastal areas – even the barrier islands. However, they do prefer the freshwater bodies of water on these islands. Which brings up the second question…
Question 2 – can they tolerate salt water?
The quick answer is yes, for a period. There are several reptiles in Florida that can tolerate periods of seawater. Those who spend long periods in brackish to marine waters have lachrymal glands to remove and excrete salt from their blood stream. This keeps the cells of their body in a more “fresh” environment and thus, can tolerate salt water for longer periods. Marine turtles, the most salt tolerant of all reptiles, excrete this salt through these glands located near their eyes. This gives them the appearance of “tears” or “crying” when they are on land. They are actually secreting salt from their body.
Alligators do not have well developed lachrymal glands. However, their tough skin is impermeable to absorbing seawater. They have thinner areas of skin where saltwater can enter and of course they can swallow seawater. Because of this, they cannot tolerate seawater very long and must eventually return to freshwater.
Alligators, like most Florida reptiles, do have to bask on land to warm their bodies in the morning. This is needed for proper digestion as well as other functions. It is also another way that alligators can avoid salty water for periods of time. I understand the alligator still had the faint yellow cross bands on its tail, indicating a younger animal, who may have wondered into the wrong location.
As far as being a danger to humans, you have to “read” the animal. Wild alligators have a natural fear of humans and would prefer to avoid us. According to the FWC, there have been 388 alligator attacks on Floridians since 1948, about 6 per year. 263 of those were considered “major” attacks, about 3 per year. 24 were fatal, about 0.4 per year (1 every 3 years). Wild alligators can be a problem if
- The animal is very large – it will consider larger prey like humans
- Attacking a pet (even on a leash) and indirectly attacking the pet owner
- Swimming in bodies of water with large alligators, especially at night (when they most often feed)
- The person was near a nest or young – alligators are very defensive of their young and nest
Any alligator can become a problem when fed. They lose their natural fear of humans and see us as a source of easy food – though they more often go after our pets, which are easier; they are more willing to approach us looking for an opportunity. Thus, is against Florida law to feed alligators.
I am not sure whether the alligator seen that week was acting aggressively or not but certainly could have been a problem. A “nuisance” alligator is defined by FWC as one being larger than four feet and acting aggressively towards humans or pets. If this is the case, they have a team of trappers who will come to collect the animal. It is not recommended that individuals try to capture these animals. As with snakes, many people bitten by alligators were trying to either catch them or kill them. It is best to leave this to the professionals.
Though it is a bit nerve racking to see an alligator on the beach, they are part of Florida’s environment. Like sharks swimming along our shores, alligators should not be approached but rather contact a local authority to alert them of the possible danger.
by Rick O'Connor | Apr 14, 2017
The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill was one of the worst natural disasters in our country’s history.
Photo: Gulf Sea Grant
We are pleased to announce the release of a pair of new bulletins outlining how the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacted the popular marine animals dolphins and sea turtles. To read these and other oil spill science publications, go to http://gulfseagrant.org/oilspilloutreach/publications/.
The Deepwater Horizon’s impact on bottlenose dolphins – In 2010, scientists documented a markedly increased number of stranded dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Was oil exposure to blame? Could other factors have been in play? Read the answers to these questions here: http://masgc.org/oilscience/oil-spill-science-dolphins.pdf.
Sea turtles and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill – This publication reviews the estimated damage oil exposure caused to sea turtles and discusses continued research and monitoring efforts for these already endangered and threatened species. Click here to read this bulletin: http://masgc.org/oilscience/oil-spill-science-sea-turtles.pdf.
Also –
“Sea turtles and oil spills” presentations – On March 23 in Brownsville, Texas, more than 100 participants gathered in person and online to listen to scientists, responders, and sea turtle specialists explain what we know about how these creatures fared in 2010 and detail ongoing conservation programs. Watch videos of the presentations here: http://gulfseagrant.org/sea-turtles-oil-spills/.
Our oil spill science outreach team hopes you will find these resources useful! J
by Rick O'Connor | Apr 14, 2017
Article by Gadsden County Extension Agent
DJ Zadarreyal
Vallisneria americana, also known as tape grass or eel grass, is a common native aquatic weed in the state of Florida. Tape grass has tall, grass-like leaves that are a light green in coloration and rise vertically from the crown to the top of the water. Once the leaves reach the top of the water, they casually float along the surface.
Common tape grass Vallisneria americana.
Photo: UF IFAS
The technique of propagation is by runners. These runners grow out from the crown along the sand and new plants arise from the end of them. There are separate male and female plants, although they grow on the same plant. The female flowers are on lengthy stems, which reach to the surface. However, the male flowers are loosely attached at the base of the leaves. When released, the male flowers float to the surface where they move alongside the female flowers to fertilize them.
A good way to distinguish tape grass from other weeds is to observe the leaves and the tips. Tape grass have round leaf tips while many other weeds have pointed leaf tips. In addition, tape grass is a submerged weed that possesses long, ribbon like leaves.
There are several uses for tape grass. Restoration of the pond floor is a useful purpose. One of the benefits of tape grass is that they are great oxygenators. Tape grass is also a common home based aquarium plant. They provide an eye-catching scene that fish and humans enjoy.
Source:
Guide of Tropical Fish, Everything You Need to Know About Tropical Fish
