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Sea Grant

The Florida Sea Grant College Program supports research and education activities that help Florida's shoreline communities, industries and citizens wisely use the state's coastal and marine resources.
Source: Florida Sea Grant Marine Extension

Editorial Team

  • Maia McGuire - Editor, Chair, Approver
  • Susan Gildersleeve - ICS Editor

RECENT & REVISED PUBLICATIONS

How Do Oysters Remove Nitrogen?

SS711/SL498by Heather Donnelly, Ashley Smyth, Shirley Baker, Laura Reynolds, and Angela CollinsFebruary 8th, 2023Nitrogen is natural and necessary, yet nitrogen levels above natural levels can cause algal blooms and eutrophication of coastal systems. The purpose of this document is to describe how oysters and oyster reefs remove nitrogen. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Soil, Water, and Ecosystem Sciences is intended for policymakers, environmental organizations, and coastal residents who want to know about oysters' role in improving water quality through nitrogen removal. Written by Heather Donnelly, Ashley Smyth, Shirley Baker, Laura Reynolds, and Angela Collins.Critical Issue: Water Quality and Conservation

How Ecosystem Services are Measured and Why it Matters for Florida

FA252/FA252by Charles Wallace, Anna Braswell, Mysha Clarke, Andrew Ropicki, Tara Wade, Frank Asche, Ashley Smyth, Armando Ubeda, and Ed CampFebruary 7th, 2023Florida has many ecosystems that are thought of as especially important such as springs, coasts, dry prairies, and the Everglades. One of the ways importance is measured is through value. The term ecosystem services describes the benefits ecosystems and their components provide humans. This publication describes some of the ways to measure ecosystem services and explains how the different approaches to assess ecosystems might be selected, depending on what is most important to the user. This publication should help Extension and outreach agents, as well as agency personnel better understand ecosystem services values and explain them to the public. It should also help interested members of the public who wish to learn more about ecosystem services for themselves. Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment

Artificial Reefs in Florida 101 – effects on fisheries: Part 4 of an Artificial Reef series

FA244/FA244by Lisa Chong, Angela B. Collins, Holly Abeels, Anna Braswell, Andrew Ropicki, and Edward V. CampNovember 1st, 2022Increasingly, coastal managers are placing artificial reefs in marine waters. These long-lasting habitat alterations have measurable effects on fish, fishers, divers, fisheries, and marine social ecological systems. Understanding how artificial reefs function is necessary to make good decisions about future artificial reefs. Scientific research on many aspects of artificial reefs is not always summarized and explained. In response to this need, we designed a 4-part series called Artificial Reefs 101. This publication, part 4 of the Artificial Reefs series, explores a complicated but fascinating aspect of artificial reefs—should we expect them to lead to better fishing in the long run? Many people think artificial reefs should be a “win-win” since both fish and fishers seem to like them. But it is increasingly apparent that they are likely to increase fishing mortality more than they increase fish populations. So they could lead to more restrictive regulations. Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment

An update on Florida’s Artificial Reefs: recent deployments and trends

FA242/FA242by Edward V. Camp, Lisa Chong, Angela B. Collins, Holly Abeels, Keith Mille, Michael Sipos, Brittany Hall-Scharf, Ana Zangroniz, Scott Jackson, Shelly Krueger, and Victor BlancoOctober 20th, 2022Popular marine habitat enhancements, artificial reefs can benefit sea life and humans. Floridians visit them every year to fish, dive, snorkel, or boat around. The number of artificial reefs is growing around Florida, but their function and impact are difficult to describe because artificial reefs change over time as they become encrusted with fouling organisms or altered by storms and shifting sands. As reefs change, expectations shift, and advances in research and monitoring allow us to learn more about them. This publication provides an update of Florida’s recent artificial reef activities. It focuses on new deployments, designs, and monitoring objectives from 2015 to 2021. It should help management agencies and outreach and education professionals understand recent trends in priorities. Fishing and diving clubs, monitoring programs, local artificial reef planners and coordinators, and other stakeholders can discover and share information learned across counties.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment

Artificial Reefs in Florida 101: Effects on Fishers (and Divers)—Part 3 of an Artificial Reef Series

FA243/FA243by Lisa Chong, Angela B. Collins, Holly Abeels, Anna Braswell, Ana Zangroniz, Andrew Ropicki, Scott Jackson, and Edward V. CampOctober 20th, 2022Increasingly, coastal managers are placing artificial reefs in marine waters. These long-lasting habitat alterations have measurable effects on fish, fishers, divers, fisheries, and marine social ecological systems. Understanding how artificial reefs function is necessary to make good decisions about future artificial reefs. Scientific research on many aspects of artificial reefs is not always summarized and explained. In response to this need, we designed a 4-part series called Artificial Reefs 101. This publication, part 3 of the Artificial Reefs series, explains how artificial reefs affect fishers and divers. It will help the interested public understand more about the ecological effects of artificial reefs and provide detailed information to stakeholders including management agencies, local governments, artificial reef manufacturers, and Extension agents, to allow for better-informed decisions about building and managing artificial reefs.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment