Tampa Bay Dredged Hole Habitat Assessment Project: Management Recommendations

Project Objectives Determine habitat value of each hole Determine habitat value of each hole Develop management strategies for each hole Develop management strategies for each hole No Change No Change Complete filling and restoration of seagrasses Complete filling and restoration of seagrasses Partial filling Partial filling Enhance habitat value Enhance habitat value

Project Tasks Fisheries Monitoring Fisheries Monitoring Trawl and Seine Samples- inside and outside holes Trawl and Seine Samples- inside and outside holes Directed Hole-and-Line Sampling Directed Hole-and-Line Sampling Recreational & Commercial Angler Use Recreational & Commercial Angler Use Benthic Monitoring Benthic Monitoring Benthic Organisms Benthic Organisms Physical Parameters- DO, sediment chemistry Physical Parameters- DO, sediment chemistry Physical Characteristics Physical Characteristics Acreage, Depth & Surrounding Acreage, Depth & Surrounding Depth of holes Location Location

Overall Rankings

OPTION 3 (of 4) Fisheries and Benthos Weighted Equally Fisheries and Benthos Weighted Equally Ranking Uses Numerical Values assigned by FIM or Benthos Ranking Uses Numerical Values assigned by FIM or Benthos Fisheries: 9 holes ranked (BIG and NEP not ranked) Fisheries: 9 holes ranked (BIG and NEP not ranked) Value= 10 - ranked # = x Value= 10 - ranked # = x e.g., Shore Acres (#1, “best”) = 10 – 1 = 9 =1 e.g., Shore Acres (#1, “best”) = 10 – 1 = 9 = Benthos: 11 holes ranked Benthos: 11 holes ranked Value = 12- ranked # = x Value = 12- ranked # = x Fisheries Score + Benthos Score (If no Fisheries, only Benthic 2e.g., BIG, NEP1) 2e.g., BIG, NEP1)

Overall Ranked Comparison: Lowest score = lowest habitat value

Shore Acres Score: Score: Rank: 1of 11 (highest ranked) Rank: 1of 11 (highest ranked) Angler Use: Recreational: #8 (tied) Commercial: #4 (tied) Rationale: Highest ranked hole for fisheries and 2 nd highest ranked for benthos. Objections: None Management Recommendation: Keep Hole As Is- Do Not Fill

Gandy Channel North Score: Score: Rank: 2 of 11 Rank: 2 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #3 (tied) Commercial: #4 (tied) Rationale: Highly ranked hole by benthic Objections: None Management Recommendation: Keep Hole As Is- Do Not Fill

Whiskey Stump Key 2 (East) Score: Score: Rank: 3 of 11 Rank: 3 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #1 Commercial: #9 (tied for last) Rationale: Original recommendation upheld. Hole provides unique fish habitat. Objections: None Management Recommendation: Keep Hole As Is- Do Not Fill

Mac Dill Air Force Base Runway Extension Score: Score: Rank: 4 of 11 Rank: 4 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #10 (access restricted) Commercial: #6 Rationale: Hole was historically utilized by recreational fishers before security restrictions. More protected refuge for fish, as recreational fishers are prohibited. Hole partially filled in 1990s. Objections: Peter Clark Management Recommendation: Keep Hole As Is- Do Not Fill Further

Whiskey Stump Key 1 (West) Score: Score: Rank: 5 of 11 Rank: 5 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #1 Commercial: #9 (tied for last) Rationale: Original recommendation upheld. Hole provides unique fish habitat. Objections: None Management Recommendation: Keep Hole As Is- Do Not Fill

Big Island Cut Score: (Benthic only) Score: (Benthic only) Rank: 6 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #2 Commercial: #1 Rationale: Objections: None Management Recommendation: Keep Hole As Is- Do Not Fill

St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport East Score: Score: Rank: 7 of 11 Rank: 7 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #5 Commercial: #2 Rationale: Objections: Management Recommendation: Keep Hole as is Do Not Fill

Cypress Point Score: Score: Rank: 8 of 11 Rank: 8 of 11 Angler Use Recreational: #6 Commercial: #3 Rationale: Erosion problem along eastern beach. Filling could protect against wave energy and support City of Tampa project Objections: Jan Platt Management Recommendation: Partial filling to stabilize the shoreline. Fill to various depths, including to the photic zone.

Northshore Beach Score: Score: Rank: 9 of 11 Rank: 9 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #8 (tied) Commercial: #6 (tied) Rationale: Ranked poorly for fisheries and benthos. Objections: None Management Recommendation: Fill to surrounding area depth and encourage seagrass expansion.

Northeast St. Petersburg Borrow Pit 1 Score: (Benthic only) Score: (Benthic only) Rank: 10 of 11 Rank: 10 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #3 (tied) Commercial: #6 (tied) Rationale: Could be developed as a SWIM project. Opportunity for restoration. Objections: None Management Recommendation: Shallow up hole to between -10 and +3 feet to address hypoxia. Develop intertidal planting shelves.

McKay Bay Score: Rank: 11 of 11 (lowest ranked) Angler Use: Recreational: #6 (tied) Commercial: #9 (tied for last) Rationale: Lowest ranked hole for both fisheries and benthos Objections: None Management Recommendation: Fill hole to surrounding depths

Recommendation Summary * Based on existing habitat value KEEP AS IS Shore Acres Shore Acres Gandy Channel North Gandy Channel North Whiskey Stump Key 2 (East) Whiskey Stump Key 2 (East) Mac Dill Air Force Base Runway Extension Mac Dill Air Force Base Runway Extension Whiskey Stump Key 1 (West) Whiskey Stump Key 1 (West) Big Island Cut Big Island Cut St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport East St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport East

Recommendation Summary *Based on existing habitat value CONSIDER MODIFICATION Cypress Point- Cypress Point- Partial filling to stabilize the shoreline. Fill to various depths, including to the photic zone. Northshore Beach- Northshore Beach- Fill to surrounding area depth and encourage seagrass expansion. Northeast St. Petersburg Borrow Pit 1- Northeast St. Petersburg Borrow Pit 1- Shallow up hole to between -10 and +3 feet to address hypoxia. Develop intertidal planting shelves. McKay Bay- McKay Bay- Fill hole to surrounding depths