Tampa Bay Dredged Hole Habitat Tampa Bay Dredged Hole Habitat Assessment Project: Assessment Project:

Management RecommendationsManagement Recommendations

Project ObjectivesProject Objectives

Determine habitat Determine habitat value of each holevalue of each hole

Develop Develop management management strategies for each strategies for each holehole No ChangeNo Change Complete filling and Complete filling and

restoration of seagrassesrestoration of seagrasses Partial fillingPartial filling Enhance habitat valueEnhance habitat value

Project TasksProject Tasks Fisheries MonitoringFisheries Monitoring

Trawl and Seine Samples- inside and outside holesTrawl and Seine Samples- inside and outside holes Directed Hole-and-Line SamplingDirected Hole-and-Line Sampling Recreational & Commercial Angler UseRecreational & Commercial Angler Use

Benthic MonitoringBenthic Monitoring Benthic OrganismsBenthic Organisms Physical Parameters- DO, sediment chemistryPhysical Parameters- DO, sediment chemistry

Physical CharacteristicsPhysical Characteristics Acreage, Depth & Surrounding Acreage, Depth & Surrounding

Depth of holesDepth of holes LocationLocation

Overall RankingsOverall Rankings

OPTION 3 (of 4)OPTION 3 (of 4) Fisheries and Benthos Weighted EquallyFisheries and Benthos Weighted Equally Ranking Uses Numerical Values assigned by FIM or BenthosRanking 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= Value= 10 - ranked #10 - ranked # = = x x

9 9 9 9 e.g., Shore Acres (#1, “best”) = e.g., Shore Acres (#1, “best”) = 10 – 110 – 1 = = 9 9 =1 =1

99 9 9 Benthos: 11 holes ranked Benthos: 11 holes ranked Value = Value = 12- ranked #12- ranked # = = x x

11 11 11 11

Fisheries Score + Benthos ScoreFisheries Score + Benthos Score (If no Fisheries, only Benthic(If no Fisheries, only Benthic

22 e.g., BIG, NEP1)e.g., BIG, NEP1)

Overall Ranked Overall Ranked Comparison:Comparison:

Lowest score = lowest Lowest score = lowest habitat valuehabitat valueF is h e r ie s x 1 , B e n t h o s x 1

0 . 1 0 10 . 1 8 0

0 . 2 9 30 . 3 5 9

0 . 5 3 0 0 . 5 4 50 . 6 7 2 0 . 6 8 7 0 . 7 0 7

0 . 8 3 30 . 9 5 5

0 . 0 0 0

0 . 2 0 0

0 . 4 0 0

0 . 6 0 0

0 . 8 0 0

1 . 0 0 0

1 . 2 0 0

M C K N E P 1 N S H C Y P A IR B IG W S K 1 M A C W S K 2 G A N S H AD r e d g e d H o l e

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Shore AcresShore Acres Score: 0.955Score: 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 2nd highest ranked for benthos.

Objections: None

Management Recommendation:

Keep Hole As Is-

Do Not Fill

Gandy Channel NorthGandy Channel North Score: 0.833Score: 0.833 Rank: 2 of 11Rank: 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)Whiskey Stump Key 2 (East) Score: 0.707Score: 0.707 Rank: 3 of 11Rank: 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 ExtensionMac Dill Air Force Base Runway Extension Score: 0.687Score: 0.687 Rank: 4 of 11Rank: 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)Whiskey Stump Key 1 (West) Score: 0.672Score: 0.672 Rank: 5 of 11Rank: 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 CutBig 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

St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport EastSt. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport East

Score: 0.530Score: 0.530 Rank: 7 of 11Rank: 7 of 11 Angler Use:

Recreational: #5 Commercial: #2

Rationale: Objections:

Management Recommendation:

Keep Hole as is

Do Not Fill

Cypress PointCypress Point Score: 0.359Score: 0.359 Rank: 8 of 11Rank: 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 BeachNorthshore Beach Score: 0.293Score: 0.293 Rank: 9 of 11Rank: 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 1Northeast St. Petersburg Borrow Pit 1 Score: 0.180 (Benthic only)Score: 0.180 (Benthic only) Rank: 10 of 11Rank: 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 BayMcKay 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

Recommendation SummaryRecommendation Summary* Based on existing habitat value * Based on existing habitat value

KEEP AS ISKEEP AS IS Shore AcresShore Acres Gandy Channel NorthGandy Channel North Whiskey Stump Key 2 (East)Whiskey Stump Key 2 (East) Mac Dill Air Force Base Runway ExtensionMac Dill Air Force Base Runway Extension Whiskey Stump Key 1 (West)Whiskey Stump Key 1 (West) Big Island CutBig Island Cut St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport EastSt. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport East

Recommendation SummaryRecommendation Summary*Based on existing habitat value*Based on existing habitat value

CONSIDER MODIFICATIONCONSIDER 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