1. Bay Scallop Population Dynamics within Two Southwest Florida Estuaries Following Restoration Practices Utilizing Competent Larval Releases Presented by: Jay R. Leverone

2. PARTNERS Jay Leverone: Mote Marine Laboratory Steve Geiger: Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute Bill Arnold: Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute Sarah Stephenson: Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute Curt Hemmel: Bay Shellfish Company Jaime Boswell: Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Norm Blake: University of South Florida Peter Clark:Tampa Bay Watch

3. Florida Bay Scallop Populations

4. History of Florida Bay Scallop Restoration Strategies Direct Translocation of Native Stock from Stable Populations Planting of Hatchery-Produced Scallop Seed Release of Hatchery-Reared Scallop Larvae

5. Direct Translocation from Stable Populations 1972: Scallops transferred from Anclote to Tampa Bay and placed in cages to monitor thermal effects from a power plant (USF) 1980: Scallops translocated from Anclote to Mullet Key Bayou (USF) 1993: Steinhatchee to Sarasota Bay (MML) 1995: Steinhatchee to Tampa Bay (TBW) 2002-05: Renewal of direct transplant from resurgent Anclote population (FWRI)

6. Planting of Hatchery-Produced Scallop Seed 1991: Free release at two sites in Tampa Bay (USF) 1997-99: Major restoration effort from Crystal River to Tampa Bay (FWRI) 1999: First scallop seeding effort in Sarasota Bay (MML) 2000-01: Second, larger seeding project in Sarasota Bay (FWRI) 2004: Seven locations within Tampa Bay (FWRI)

7. Release of Hatchery-Reared Scallop Larvae 2003-present: Pine Island Sound, Lee County 2005-present: Mullet Key Bayou, Boca Ciega Bay, lower Tampa Bay

8. Location of Tampa Bay and Pine Island Sound along the Florida west coast

9. Larval release ( ● ) and spat monitoring (▲) locations within each estuary

10. Enclosure Setup

11. Preparing Larval For Release

12. Releasing Larvae and Monitoring Recruitment

13. Release schedule for each estuary ESTUARYLOCATIONRELEASE DATE NUMBER OF ENCLOSURES NUMBER OF LARVAE/ENCLOSURE Pine Island SoundPineland 110/28/2003 3 (Treatment) 1 (Control)5.0 x 10 5 Pineland 210/03/20051 (Treatment)1.2 x 10 6 Demere Key10/03/20051 (Treatment) 1.2 x 10 6 Powerline10/03/20051 (Treatment) 1.2 x 10 6 FWS Refuge10/03/20051 (Treatment) 1.2 x 10 6 Powerline06/02/2006Free release4.0 x 10 6 Rabbit Key Basin10/26/2006Free release1.3 x 10 6 Tampa BaySt. Antoine Key04/07/20062 (Treatment)7.5 x 10 5 Tarpon Key04/07/20062 (Treatment)7.5 x 10 5 St. Antoine Key12/21/20062 (Treatment)7.5 x 10 5 St. Antoine Key05/18/20073 (Treatment)7.5 x 10 5 West Mullet Key10/25/20071 (Treatment)1.3 x 10 6 Cunningham Key10/25/20071 (Treatment)1.3 x 10 6 Bonne Fortune Key10/25/20071 (Treatment)1.3 x 10 6

14. Spat settlement for each larval release ESTUARYLOCATION RELEASE DATE MEAN NUMBER OF SPAT PER COLLECTOR NUMBER OF ENCLOSURES InsideOutside Pine Island SoundPineland 110/28/20032.4, 1.8, 1.00.03 (control)0.01 Pineland 210/03/200515.40.21 Demere Key10/03/200533.30.81 Powerlines10/03/200527.20.81 FWS Refuge10/03/20052.82.61 Powerlines06/02/2006----- 0 (free release) Rabbit Key Basin10/26/2007----- 0 (free release) Tampa BaySt. Antoine Key04/07/200615.0, 13.40.02 Tarpon Key04/07/20063.2, 1.60.22 St. Antoine Key12/21/20066.4, 2.60.2, 0.42 St. Antoine Key05/18/2007116.0, 77.2, 63.01.4, 0.63 West Mullet Key10/25/2007001 (+ free release) Cunningham Key10/25/2007001 (+ free release) Bonne Fortune Key10/25/2007001 (+ free release)

15. 2003 Scallop Distribution Total = 28; Density = 1.4

16. 2004 Scallop Distribution Total = 21; Density = 1.05 Restoration Site Total = 63; Density = 160

17. 2005 Scallop Distribution Total = 1,868; Density = 93.4

18. 2006 Scallop Distribution Total = 163; Density = 8.15

19. 2007 & 2008 Scallop Total = 0

20. Scallop populations: South PIS 2004 2005 20062007-08

21. Recruitment of Scallops to Background Collectors in Pine Island Sound

22. Annual scallop abundance in Tampa Bay YEAR19951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008 TBW7774792721181 0012 118555641 FWRI - TB----- 2 0106740 FWRI - SB----- 22,499 TBW = Tampa Bay Watch “Great Bay Scallop Search” Volunteer Survey FWRI = Fish & Wildlife Research Institute Surveys

23. Tampa Bay Scallop Distribution 2007 - 2008

24. Recruitment of Scallops to Background Collectors in Tampa Bay

25. Differences in Scallop Population Dynamics Between Estuaries Pine Island Sound –Temporary resurgence in scallop abundance concurrent with 2003 restoration efforts –2005 restoration did not show similar response –Recruitment limitation in the years following successful restoration led to population crash in 2007 –Local scallop populations are likely isolated from other west Florida populations

26. Differences in Scallop Population Dynamics Between Estuaries Tampa Bay –Recovery in scallop populations since 2007 coincides with larval release restoration activities –Population recovery is also coupled with high recruitment rates in lower Tampa Bay –Tampa Bay populations have maintained connectivity to adjacent coastal populations

27. Implications for Future Restoration and Management Strategies Need to monitor population dynamics in the smaller coastal embayments between Tampa Bay and Pine Island Sound Pine Island Sound may require multi-level restoration plan, while Tampa Bay can utilize spat collectors for long-term seeding Better understanding of water quality and harmful algal dynamics in Pine Island Sound will be required for ultimate recovery of scallops

28. Funding and Support National Sea Grant National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Tampa Bay Estuary Program Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Florida Department of Environmental Protection National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Pinellas County Environmental Fund) Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Ocean Trust Foundation South Florida Water Management District Mote Scientific Foundation