1. Tampa Bay Dredged Hole Habitat Assessment Project: Management Recommendations

2. 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

3. 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

4. Overall Rankings

5. 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 9 9 9 9 e.g., Shore Acres (#1, “best”) = 10 – 1 = 9 =1 e.g., Shore Acres (#1, “best”) = 10 – 1 = 9 =1 9 9 9 9 Benthos: 11 holes ranked Benthos: 11 holes ranked Value = 12- ranked # = x Value = 12- ranked # = x 11 11 11 11 Fisheries Score + Benthos Score (If no Fisheries, only Benthic 2e.g., BIG, NEP1) 2e.g., BIG, NEP1)

6. Overall Ranked Comparison: Lowest score = lowest habitat value

7. Shore Acres Score: 0.955 Score: 0.955 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

8. Gandy Channel North Score: 0.833 Score: 0.833 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

9. Whiskey Stump Key 2 (East) Score: 0.707 Score: 0.707 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

10. Mac Dill Air Force Base Runway Extension Score: 0.687 Score: 0.687 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

11. Whiskey Stump Key 1 (West) Score: 0.672 Score: 0.672 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

12. Big Island Cut Score: 0.545 (Benthic only) Score: 0.545 (Benthic only) Rank: 6 of 11 Angler Use: Recreational: #2 Commercial: #1 Rationale: Objections: None Management Recommendation: Keep Hole As Is- Do Not Fill

13. St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport East Score: 0.530 Score: 0.530 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

14. Cypress Point Score: 0.359 Score: 0.359 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.

15. Northshore Beach Score: 0.293 Score: 0.293 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.

16. Northeast St. Petersburg Borrow Pit 1 Score: 0.180 (Benthic only) Score: 0.180 (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.

17. McKay Bay Score: 0.101 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

18. 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

19. 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