Salty Topics: Sea level rise in the southeastern US: What have we seen and what do we expect?

Join us for the kick-off of our all new Marine Science Speaker series at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. The series will be held on the 1st Thursday of October, November, and December 2011.

Professor Mitchum has been a faculty member in the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida since. His interest in sea level rise began in the mid-1980's, and he remains especially interested in the study of 20th century sea level rise. Professor Mitchum's research focuses on the use of satellite and in situ data to study sea level variations and climate change.

For more information please contact Libby Carnahan at (727) 453-6522

Community Shows Love for the Environment

Libby Carnahan, Sea Grant Extension Agent

What do residents love about Pinellas County? The natural resources! This weekend, residents volunteered their time to show their love for the green and blue spaces that we cherish in Pinellas County. In conjunction with National Public Lands Day and National Estuaries Day, cleanup events were organized on land and sea.

At Weedon Island Preserve, Florida Sea Grant/Pinellas County Extension hosted 18 employees of OSI Restaurant Partners for a land-based cleanup of some hard to reach shorelines on Riviera Bay. On Saturday, 24 community volunteers utilized canoes and kayaks to reach the remote shoreline of Googe Island within the preserve. Together, these groups collected approximately 24 bags of debris. Volunteers recorded every item found, giving us a clear picture of the manufactured items impacting the health of humans, wildlife, and economies.

Farther North in the county, Reef Monitoring Inc., a local non-profit, hosted an underwater cleanup of Clearwater Artificial Reefs. 187 certified divers removed an astounding 1,534 pounds of trash!

• Artificial Reefs provide habitat for popular sport fish and other marine life and help alleviate fishing pressures on natural habitats.
• More than 1800 persons in Pinellas County – residents and visitors included – use artificial reefs.
• Fishermen and divers who use Pinellas County’s 12 artificial reef sites spend more than $79 million in the county annually.

Please do your part to keep our oceans clean. Marine debris poses a threat to marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds, and decreases the quality of life for human residents. When possible-reuse, reduce, and recycle. Don’t wait for an official day to clean up-make every day a cleanup day!

Florida Ocean’s Day

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector
Urban Sustainability Agent
UF/IFAS Pinellas County Extension

The Florida Ocean Alliance and the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council celebrates Florida Oceans Day on March 10, 2010.

Pinellas County surrounded by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay enjoys a unique water heritage and the mixing of these waters through our many bays supports a spectacular fishing industry. As stewards of the environment, our efforts should focus not only on our land but also on our water.

Our residents enjoy an active, outdoor lifestyle - we cherish our rights to boat, swim, fish, and consume high quality seafood. Here at Pinellas County Extension, we’ve written many articles on how to “green” your office, home and work environments. In this article, we’d like to emphasize green thinking as it relates to our coasts and oceans. As you may recall, sustainability is focused on the economy, environment and society and nowhere are these linkages more important than in our coastal environment. Our oceans support our economy, enhance our connections to nature, and provide recreational opportunities.

Florida oceans support a multi-billion dollar industry that is primarily based around fishing, tourism and recreation, and trade. According to the 2008 Phase II report produced by the National Ocean Economics Program (NOEP), Florida’s coastal economy generated $562B in 2006 while Florida’s ocean economy generated $25B in 2005. NOEP distinguishes between coastal and ocean economies to account for economic activity located along the coast and economic activity using the ocean.

In recognition of Florida Oceans Day:

• support the safe boating laws that protect our manatees
• the clean marina regulations that prevent water pollution, and
• the fishing regulations that protect marine life

Above all else, pledge to protect and preserve Florida’s oceans so that future generations can enjoy.