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Ghostbusters Coming to Tampa Bay
With thousands of abandoned crab traps - or ghost traps - littering the bottom of Tampa Bay and its tributaries, bay managers are gearing up to clean up.
A pilot program scheduled for April 14 will sweep through small sections of Hillsborough Bay at low tide, pulling ghost traps previously identified by helicopter. "The long-term goal is to establish a bay-wide crab trap cleanup, but we need to start small in a few discreet areas with a small group of people before we do that," said Tom Moore, marine restoration specialist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Flying low at very low tide over the Alafia Bank, abandoned traps are visible from the air. "There aren't any solid numbers on the number of traps out there but we saw a large number of traps in a small area," Moore said./P>
Depending upon weather and locations, crabbers may lose up to 25% of their traps every year, Moore said. The ghost traps don't stop working just because they're missing a marker buoy - crabs initially attracted to the bait eventually die and become bait themselves. And while Florida requires biodegradable panels that allow crabs, fish and terrapins to escape, they take months to break down, he adds.
If the pilot program, funded through the Pinellas County Environmental Fund, Tampa Bay Estuary Program and NOAA, is deemed successful, Tampa BayWatch and Ocean Conservancy will coordinate a larger effort, probably this fall. "Once we work out the kinks with this pilot effort, we'll be looking for volunteers with air boats, aircraft and other boats to recover traps in other areas," Moore said.
Updated Boater's Guide Set for Spring Publication
 A brand-new Boater's and Angler's Guide to Tampa Bay - the first in eight years - is scheduled for publication this spring. Produced by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Florida Marine Research Institute, the revamped guide packs a wealth of information in a handy, fold-out map printed on water-resistant paper.
In addition to public boat ramps and artificial reefs, the revised guide features fishing piers, tide stations, environmentally friendly marinas, bridge clearances and fishing hot spots. It also offers important information about the diverse marine life that inhabits Tampa Bay -- both above and below the water's surface - from manatees to sea turtles to wading and shorebirds. Seagrasses, mangroves and salt marshes are identified, as are local boating speed zones and no-entry areas. A resource list includes phone numbers for marine law enforcement, marine towing companies and seabird rescue facilities.
The guide will be available free of charge at local bait shops, marinas, tackle shops and boating supply outlets this spring or contact Nanette Holland at the Tampa Bay Estuary Program via e-mail at nanette@tbep.org or call 727-893-2765.
"Landslide" in Pasco But Manatee Turns Down Tax
By a 3.9% margin - which one official called a "landslide" for a Pasco County tax increase - voters approved a one-cent sales tax that could raise more than $4 million per year for environmental lands acquisition.
By the nearly the same margin, Manatee voters turned down a ¸-cent sales tax that would have bought conservation lands, paid for recreational facilities and provided funding to cities.
"We're elated but exhausted," said Jennifer Seney, the Pasco County activist who led a three-year effort to fund environmental lands purchases. "Now that we have the money, we're working on program implementation - determining how to set up the structure, who's in charge, who's on the nominating committee, and how often will it meet."
That's not to say that Seney and others aren't looking at potential deals, she adds. "This has been a long hard road and we have some ideas now that we have money almost in hand."
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"Spring Fever" Now Online
Looking for a cool place to hang out this summer? Check out Spring Fever, an online guide to more than 500 Florida springs.
 From the popular Lithia Springs south of Brandon to the lesser-known Salt Spring located behind Gulfview Square Mall in Port Richey, the guide provides photos and details ranging from access and cost to driving (or boating) directions and information on scenery. And since most of Florida's most famous springs are north of the Tampa Bay region, where the aquifer is closer to the surface, it serves as a great travel guide.
Along with geographic breakdowns, the site offers an extensive list of the authors' favorite sprngs, including "superlative springs" with notes on their special attributes, as well as separate lists of springs recommended for swimming, snorkeling, young children, canoeing, camping and those with access for people with disabilities.
Closure Continues at Piney Point
Although ongoing nitrogen loadings apparently caused an unexpected macroalgea bloom in Bishop Harbor, closure of the abandoned phosphate plant at Piney Point is proceeding on schedule. Capacity has increased to the point where the stacks could handle up to 48 inches of rain, and workers are now lining one of the three compartments scheduled to be closed this year.
Approximately 100 tons of macroalgea has been harvested from Bishop Harbor, helping contain potentially damaging phytoplankton growth. "The macroalgea acts like a sponge and sucks up nitrogen, but it's much easier to clean up" says Rob Brown, water quality administrator for Manatee County.
Nitrogen loadings to Bishop Harbor were cut to about 100 pounds per day in late March, with lower-than-average rainfall and ongoing progress toward closure of the stacks. Managers are hopeful that three of the four stack compartments will be closed by the end of the year.
National Estuary Awareness Campaign Launched
What's an Estuary? National Estuary Programs from coast to coast have joined together to answer that question with the launch of a nationwide campaign to make "estuary" a household word, like "river" and "ocean," by the year 2005.
The Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP), which includes the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, and the National Research Reserves System are partners in this ambitious project.
For the uninitiated, an estuary is that rare and special place where freshwater and saltwater mix, where rivers meet the sea. This protected body of water, often partially enclosed by reefs, barrier islands or fingers of land, is distinct from all other places on Earth. In fact, it is irreplaceable. Estuaries are the most productive ecosystems on Earth, containing more life per square inch than the richest farmland or deepest forest. There are more than 100 estuaries in the United States that are home to tens of thousands of fish, birds, mammals, unique plant communities and more than 110 million people. Seventy percent of the U.S. population visits an estuary every year. People and wildlife love estuaries for their many beautiful and diverse habitats, including sandy beaches, fresh and salt water marshes, rocky shores, shellfish beds, mangrove forests, river deltas, seagrass meadows and wooded swamps.
What's an estuary? Now you know.
The "What's An Estuary? Now You Know" National Education and Outreach Campaign is designed to be seen by millions across the country and to involve a critical mass of individuals, organizations and businesses to create public awareness about what an estuary is and why it's important to protect. For more information, and to view a stunning multimedia presentation about America's estuaries, access the campaign's Web site at www.whatsanestuary.com.
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Buy a Tampa Bay Estuary tag and help keep Tampa Bay on the road to recovery. They're available year-round in your local tax collector's office or request a Tampa Bay Estuary tag with your annual renewal.
