Tampa Bay’s scallops are an important indicator of water quality — often called “underwater canaries” because they are sensitive to any changes in environmental conditions.
To help track the health of the region’s coastal ecosystem, Tampa Bay Watch is once again hosting its Great Bay Scallop Search on Aug. 1. In partnership with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Pinellas County Environmental Management, the event relies on volunteers to help collect data.
As part of the event, snorkelers will search for bay scallops in designated sites throughout Middle and Lower Tampa Bay, Boca Ciega Bay and St. Joseph Sound/Clearwater Harbor, the latter including Dunedin Causeway.
“The annual Great Bay Scallop Search is a unique opportunity for citizens to become scientists for the day and jump into the water and get a hands-on opportunity to see what makes our bay so special,” said Richard Radigan, Tampa Bay Watch’s oyster shell program manager, in a news release. “By collecting data that will be used to monitor the health of the bay, participants play a critical role in the scientific process, all while having a great time on the water.”
Serra Herndon, habitat restoration director at the organization, says the event — now in its 31st year — has already seen strong volunteer interest, but as of mid-July, some kayaking spots remain available at the Emerson Point Kayak site in Palmetto.
“Additional boaters are especially needed at Fort De Soto Park, Grandview Park and Emerson Point,” she said. “Boaters play a critical role by transporting survey snorkelers and assisting with data collection throughout the event.”
Search results can vary by year, though a record 674 scallops were counted in 2009. That’s an encouraging sign, Herndon says.
“Bay scallops disappeared from Tampa Bay in the early 1960s when the bay water was highly polluted from dredging operations and industrial and municipal wastes,” she said. “Tampa Bay’s water quality and seagrass beds have since improved to levels that will once again support the bay scallop population.”
Scallops are filter feeders and are highly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions.
“If there is an abundance of scallops, it can indicate that the ecosystem is in balance and that the seagrass beds are healthy and the water clarity is good,” Herndon said.
If there is an absence, that could indicate a stressed ecosystem for a variety of reasons, from worsening water quality to harmful algal bloom, high rainfall amounts or habitat loss, she said.
Once data is collected, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program inputs it into a technical dashboard that tracks trends in scallop populations. The program is an intergovernmental partnership of Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Pinellas counties; the city of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Largo; the Southwest Florida Water Management District; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“One of the primary objectives of Tampa Bay Watch is to encourage environmental stewardship by involving the public in our restoration and education activities,” Herndon said. “By doing so, volunteers develop a sense of ownership for these sites that expand into the surrounding environment.”
To sign up as a volunteer or for more information, go to tampabaywatch.org/scallop-search.