There is a term that all oyster farmers dislike, it is almost like that one villain from a famous book/movie series where they shouldn’t say his name. That term is “unexplained spring/summer mortality” and it has been a growing issue along with the expansion of oyster farming throughout the southeast. While the art of oyster farming has been around since the time of the Romans, it is a relatively new venture here in the Gulf of Mexico, and Florida is home to over one hundred oyster farms. These farms are meticulously cared for by the oyster farm crew, with many different anti-fouling techniques and biosecurity measures in practice to provide the customer with a safe, clean product that you can consume even in the months without an R (another article on that coming later). Each year, farm managers can expect a 10-30% mortality event during the transition from winter into spring/summer, hence the term “unexplained spring/summer mortality.” Researchers and scientists from all over the southeast have been actively working to find a cause for this phenomenon, but the answer has been hard to find.
Dead, market ready oysters from one bag. Cause of death, “Unexplained Mortality Event 2022” Photo by: Thomas Derbes II
Our Pensacola Bay has been a hotbed for oysters lately; The Nature Conservancy recently constructed 33 oyster beds along Escribano Point in East Bay, the establishment of the Pensacola & Perdido Bay Estuary Program, acquisition of a $23 million restoration grant with $ 10 million towards 1,482 acres of oyster restoration, and the establishment of oyster farms and hatcheries. In Pensacola Bay, there are currently 5 oyster farms in operation, one of those farms being a family-owned and operated Grayson Bay Oyster Company. Brandon Smith has been managing the business and farm for over 4 years now and has experienced mortality events during those prime spring/summer months. In recent years, they have experienced mortality events ranging from minimal to what many would consider “catastrophic,” and reports from around Florida and the Southeast convey a similar message. Concerned for not only the future of his family farm, but other oyster farms in the Southeast, he has been working with the most experienced institutions and groups in 2022 to possibly get an answer on his and other local “unexplained mortality events.” Each road led to the same answer of “we aren’t quite sure,” but this didn’t deter Smith or other the farmers who are dealing with similar issues.
In 2023, Smith was invited to participate in a Florida-Wide program to track water quality on their farm. This project, led by Florida Sea Grant’s Leslie Sturmer from the Nature Coast Biological Station in Cedar Key, Florida, hopes to shed some light on the changes in water quality during the transition from winter to spring and spring to summer. Water samples have also been taken weekly to preserve plankton abundance and the presence of any harmful algae if a mortality event does occur. With the hottest July on record occurring in 2023, temperature could play a role in mortality events, and now researchers are equipped with the right tools and open lines of communication to possibly find a solution to the problem.
3-month-old seed being deployed out on Grayson Bay Oyster Company’s farm in Pensacola, Florida (2023). Photo by: Thomas Derbes II
As with traditional farming on land, oyster farming takes a mentally strong individual with an incredible work ethic and the ability to adapt to change. The Southeast has a resilient system of oyster farmers who display these traits and continue to put their noses down and “plant” seed every year for the continuation of a growing yet small industry, even through the hardest of trials and tribulations. Through collaboration with local and state institutions, stakeholders, programs, and citizens, oyster farmers are hopeful that they can solve this “unexplained mortality event” and help develop resilient farming techniques. An important message is local farms that have environmental and economic impacts cannot exist without the support of their community.
If you’re interested in tracking water quality on select farms, including Grayson Bay Oyster Company, the website is https://shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu/farms-2023/ and it is updated monthly.
Summertime always makes me think of the supermarket. At least one time each of the past few summers, I clearly remember being at the supermarket during a rainstorm and watching the water wash over the parking lot, talking with all the other people debating whether to run to their car with a buggy full of food. Supermarkets, home goods stores, medical facilities, libraries, and shopping centers all provide important services that we depend on for our everyday life, but their development has altered the natural processes that control the movement of water from the landscape to creeks and ultimately to the bays and bayous around us (collectively referred to as receiving waters). Concrete, asphalt, and building roof surfaces are impervious, meaning that water cannot pass through them. As a result, more water washes off the rooftops, parking lots, driveways, and roads than before the area was developed. Less water sinks into the ground to move slowly toward receiving waters and to recharge aquifers. More impervious surface leads to more runoff to receiving waters, resulting in greater erosion and higher levels of pollutants like nitrogen, phosphorus, and silt in these waterways. These extra pollutants from the landscape and from eroding stream banks have harmful effects many types of organisms that call these waterways home.
New development in Florida is required to include features that “treat” a fraction of the surface water that runs off impervious surfaces before flowing into receiving waters. Treating surface water runoff means holding it back and preventing it from running quickly off the developed landscape; as it is held back, some pollutants may settle out or be consumed by plants. Treatment is commonly accomplished through features like dry retention basins or wet detention ponds, where water is stored and then slowly moves through soil pathways toward receiving waters. These features are common parts of our developed landscape: the big pond behind the supermarket or in front of the new truck stop, or the grassy pit next to the gas station. While these satisfy regulations, they occupy a considerable amount of land, typically are aesthetically lacking, and may not actually reduce pollutant runoff or stormwater volume as intended. They also can be neglected and become a nuisance in the landscape.
Nature-based stormwater infrastructure projects can play an important role in protecting communities in northwest Florida from the effects of heavy rainfall that occurs periodically in the region. Nature-based stormwater projects are designed primarily to incorporate the natural processes of infiltration that occur in undeveloped areas in the developed landscape, treating stormwater by reducing volumes of surface runoff and concentrations of pollution that could otherwise flow directly into receiving waters. Depending on their design, these features can also provide aesthetic enhancements that can increase the value of properties and the overall wellbeing of the communities where they are implemented. When used in coordination, nature-based projects such as roadside treatment swales, bioretention cells, rain gardens, green roofs, and porous pavement can provide similar levels of stormwater treatment as dry retention basins and detention ponds while also enhancing the aesthetic, recreational, or functional potential of the landscape.
Local government and extension staff across northwest Florida are working to introduce more nature-based stormwater projects into the panhandle landscape. To learn more about recent demonstration projects that have been implemented in our region, visit the WebGIS project https://arcg.is/1SWXTm0.
Rain garden/biofiltration cell at a medical office in Pensacola, Florida.
In 1973 the United States Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. Controversial at the time, and still is today, the law was designed to help protect, and possibly restore, species that were near extinction within the boundaries of the United States. At the time there was a lot of concern about what was happening to whale populations across the world. These majestic creatures were being hunted by humans for food and other products. The hunt had been going on for centuries but in the mid-20th century it moved to an industrial scale and many populations were on the verge of extinction. The backlash from many around the world was enough for regulators in the United States to take notice.
In the 1970s there was an estimated 1000 manatees in Florida. These animals suffered from the increase of humans in their environment altering the habitat and literally running over them with an increase in boating traffic. Many growing up in Pensacola at the time had never seen a brown pelican and had never heard of an osprey. And then there was the decline of our national symbol – the bald eagle, and other national icons like the bison, bears, alligators, and moose. The loss of wildlife was noticeable.
At the time, if you looked at what was happening from the “30,000 foot” level, you could see the impact. Our barriers islands, which supported dunes that reached 40-50 feet tall, were being cleared at an alarming rate. Being replaced by large concrete structures, parking lots, and amusement parks. This loss of habitat forced the decline of the diversity and abundance of wildlife and the carrying capacity of supported populations declined.
If you looked seaward into the Gulf of Mexico, you saw a change from smaller boats with 75-100 horsepower motors to large vessels with up to four 350 horsepower motors on each boat. The number of these vessels seeking fish increased from hundreds to thousands, to even tens of thousands in some locations. Just visit one of the passes into the Gulf one weekend and you will witness the number of fishing vessels heading out. These boats were heading to fishing sites that at one time supported a species’ carrying capacity that was high and could certainly sustain the human need for food. Today these systems are stressed due to overharvesting.
If you looked towards the estuary, you saw the increase growth on the island produce runoff that made the waters more turbid, creating conditions that stressed many species of fish, invertebrates, and plants. Most notably was the loss of seagrass, which supports at least 80% of the economically important finfish and shellfish we seek. We removed coastal salt marshes, which also support fisheries, and replaced them with piers, docks, seawalls, and manicured lawns. These alterations again supported the decline of needed habitat and the diversity and abundance of coastal species. Creatures that were once common in many locations like horseshoe crabs, blue crabs, and echninoderms were now hard to find in some bays. The prized bay scallop is all but gone in many locations along with the recreational fishery that loved them.
On the mainland side of the estuary, you find the large cities. These are the locations that both the early European colonists and the Native Americans sought. They were at the connection between the freshwater rivers and estuarine habitats that supported their way of life. In the mid-20th century, these communities witnessed massive growth of humans. These humans cleared land, built concrete buildings and roads, decreased suitable habitat for much of the life that existed there, and increased pollution in both the ground and surface waters. Oyster beds began to decline, seagrasses that had reached the upper portions of the bay declined, and salt marshes were removed for a different sort of waterfront.
Much of this had been noticed even in the 1960s. The species that spawned the Endangered Species Act were mostly the large vertebrates that people felt close to, or the need for. Species such as whales, dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles. People were concerned about species like bison, moose, and pelicans. But, as the draft of the law was formed, it included others that were not on their radars like alligators, frogs, and sturgeon. The focus of the effort was the large vertebrates we were concerned about. However, there were numerous small creatures that were being lost that became part of the movement such as river mussels, snails, even beach mice. Then there were the numerous small creatures that will still do not know about.
For decades scientists have written about the world of the tiny creatures that live within the sand grains, and on the surface of seagrass that play crucial roles in the over health of the ecosystem and support, directly or indirectly, the larger creatures we care about. Even with the decision as to which species would be listed as “endangered” we saw favoritism for the large vertebrates that we appreciate. When placed up for listing consideration species like spiders, sharks, and snakes were met with resistance. Though their populations may have needed this protection, we did not want to protect those.
Despite some opposition from the beginning, the Endangered Species Act has had many success stories. Several species of whales are now stable or increasing, manatee populations have more than doubled, pelicans are common, everyone knows what an osprey is now, and viewing a bald eagle in Pensacola – though still exciting – is becoming more common place. Another sign of success are species that have been de-listed from endangered to threatened or removed completely. Alligators, bison, manatees, several species of sea turtles, and even the bald eagle have had this honor.
Over the next few months, we will post articles about species that benefitted from the Endangered Species Act, and species who are still struggling and should benefit from it now. There is no doubt that some humans suffered economically with the passing of this law, but its intent of preserving, and increasing the fish, wildlife, and even plants – that we love and need, as worked.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and UF/IFAS Extension – Florida Sea Grant have partnered to implement an innovative community-driven effort to restore scallop populations, and we need your help! “Scallop Sitter” volunteers are trained to assist in Bay, Gulf and Franklin Counties. The goal of the program is to increase scallop populations in our local bays. Scallop sitters help reintroduce scallops into suitable areas from which they have disappeared.
Volunteers manage predator exclusion cages of scallops, which are either placed in the bay or by a dock. The cages provide a safe environment for the scallops to live and reproduce, and in turn repopulate the bays. Volunteers make monthly visits from June until December to their assigned cages where they clean scallops (algal and barnacles can attach), check mortality rate and collect salinity data that helps us determine restoration goals and success in targeted areas.
1. Click on the “reserve a spot” to select the county you are participating in.*You must provide your name, contact information and date of birth to secure an FWC permit for your cage!
2. You will be sent a registration survey via email (closer to the scallops, cage & supply pickup date or you may fill out a survey onsite) , view the virtual training link: https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/mollusc/bay-scallops/sign-up/
and you’ll receive an invite to our Panhandle Scallop Sitter Facebook Group.
DEADLINE for steps 1 & 2 are May 25th!
3. Pick up your scallops, cage & supplies!
Pickup Information (all times local)
St. George Sound Volunteers
Date: Thursday, June 1st
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: FSU Coastal & Marine Lab (across the canal – see road signage)
3618 US-98, St. Teresa, FL 32358
St. Joseph Bay Volunteers
Date: Thursday, June 8th
Time: 10:00 – 1:00 PM
Location: St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve Lodge
3915 State Road 30-A, Port St. Joe, FL 32456
St. Andrew Bay Volunteers
Date: Thursday, June 16th
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
*We know issues happen from time to time with scallop populations. It’s a bummer. If you loose a significant amount of scallops early in this year’s program, we will do our best to accommodate our volunteers with a “second wave” scallop stocking event in August. Also, looking for other ways to help our program? We plan to offer cage building workshops in the fall, stay tuned!
What do ice cream, make-up, paint, plastic, air freshener, laundry detergent, cellophane, and rayon fabric have in common? They all have pine tree in them. There are hundreds of products that contain the cellulose or sap from the pine tree species native to Florida’s panhandle, particularly Longleaf and Slash pines.
Early foresters of the 1800’s discovered these pine species that grew tall and strong. In fact, Longleaf pines were so overharvested that there is only about 3% of the original forests remaining today. These trees not only provided a huge resource for lumber, they also supplied the fluids necessary to support the timber industry – turpentine. By “cat-facing” (cutting downward angled slashes) the trunk of pine trees, the sap would flow into collection cups placed on the trunks. It was collected and heated.
Pine tree sap- turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from pine trees. As a solvent, it is used for thinning oil-based paint, for producing varnishes, and as a raw material for the chemical industry. Add some beeswax and it becomes furniture wax. In the early years, turpentine mixed with coal oil and kerosene was used as a topical wound dressing and lice treatment. Add some animal fats to make primitive vapor rub.
Terpene is the scientific term coined in 1866 to denote all hydrocarbons with the formula C10H16. The word was a shortened form of “terpentine”, the obsolete spelling of “turpentine”. Terpenes are major biosynthetic building blocks for the oils in plants. For the plants, these oils play a critical role in defense against herbivory, build disease resistance, and aid in attracting pollinators. When the resin of pine trees (turpentine) is distilled, each of the terpenes can be separated. Based on there formulation, the terpenes are the base for fragrances and flavoring in numerous consumer products. With various heating treatments, many “fresh scented” cleaning products and antiseptics can be produced. Others terpenes will add “taste” to ice cream, chewing gum, and even beer. The cellulose separated from the turpentine is used to provide “structure” to cosmetics, fabrics, impact-resistant plastics, and modern digital display screens.
Who knew that you could get so many uses from pine trees. They are not just for making 2 x 4s anymore. In fact, the 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the scientist that sorted out the 55,000 terpene compounds from turpentine. You may never look at a pine tree (or your beer) the same way again.
Florida is home to 2 subspecies of the wild turkey, the Eastern and the Osceola.
One might think turkeys in Florida live at the beach. However, Turkeys prefer forested habitats such as hardwoods, pines, and cypress swamps. Their diet, depending on time of year and habitat, consists of seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects. The breeding season in Florida occurs in the spring, mid-March to April. Males (toms) perform courtship displays by puffing their feathers and gobbling to attract females (hens).
The eastern turkey is the most common subspecies in the United States. They are found throughout the northern and central regions of the country, and throughout the state of Florida. Eastern turkeys are known for their dark iridescent feathers and their distinctive beard handing from their chest.
The Osceola, known as the Florida turkey, is a sub species of the wild turkey but is only found in south Florida. They have slightly darker plumage than the Eastern wild turkey and are known for their longer legs and shorter, more rounded wings.
Image of two female (hen) Eastern wild turkeys and one offspring (poult) in the florida woods. Credit: Madelyn Grant
Both subspecies are popular among hunters during the spring hunting season. However, because Osceola’s are only found in Florida, the species is highly sought after among hunters who want to add to their trophy collections, typically to complete the “grand slam.” The Grand Slam is the most popular of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recognized turkey slams , it consist of harvesting and registering the 4 most common species of turkey Eastern, Osceola, Rio Grande ad Merriam.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) oversees turkey management in Florida. They ensure healthy and sustainable populations while also providing recreational opportunities based on research and monitoring by doing surveys to estimate population, and studies on turkey behavior, habitat use, and survival. The FWC also provides outreach and education to a variety of hunters ranging from the public and private sector. These topics include habitat management and conservation efforts, as well as predator control, and food plot management.
It is important for hunters to make informed decisions and engage in responsible hunting practices.
