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(Manager of BB Aquatic Preserve). Interviewer: G. Braun. Interview date: Sep. 3, 2003.
These interviewees were only vaguely aware of the MFL process. None conduct
original research in Biscayne Bay, but discussions led to numerous suggestions of various
people (researchers, planners…) not on our contact list who they think could provide
additional info. They suggested that maintenance of seagrass beds of Halodule wrightii and
Syringodium filiforme near mouths of canals and re-establishment of salinity regimes that
would sustain the historic distribution of oyster populations be considered as the mechanisms
to prevent significant harm in the northern portions of the Bay; pink shrimp for southern
Summary of Contacts and Expert Interviews
Expert Agency or General Area Team Interview
Name Association of Expertise Interviewer Date
Mr. Richard Alleman SFWMD Biscayne Bay G.B & R.L. 1-Oct-03
Mr. Daniel Apt FDEP - (CERP) CERP G. Braun 3-Sep-03
Ms. Sarah Bellmund Biscayne National Park Marine Ecology R. Lewis 23-Sep-03
Mr. Steven Blair DERM (Restoration) Seagrasses G. Braun 4-Sep-03
Mr. David Boyd FDEP-Reg. Biologist Pks Marine Ecology G. Braun 10-Oct-03
Dr. Joseph Boyer Fl. International Univ. Bisc Bay water quality G. Braun 24-Sep-03
Dr. Joan Browder NOAA NMFS CASC Marine Ecology R. Lewis 26-Sep-03
Mr. Rick Clark Biscayne National Park Marine Ecology and Mgmt. R. Lewis 23-Sep-03
Ms. Marsha Colbert FDEP Bisc Bay Aquatic Preserve G. Braun 3-Sep-03
Mr. Richard Curry Biscayne National Park Marine Ecology G. Braun 23-Sep-03
Mr. Guillermo Diaz U of Miami Fishes G. Braun 10-Oct-03
Mr. Steven Dale Oleta River State Pk Park Management G. Braun 20-Oct-03
Dr. Ernie D. Estevez Mote Marine Laboratory Marine Ecology R. Lewis 29-Sep-03
Dr. Craig Faunce U of Miami Fishes G. Braun 21-Oct-03
Ms Stacey Feken FDEP - Water Quality Water Quality G. Braun 3-Sep-03
Mr. Sid Flannery SWFWMD MFLs R. Lewis 29-Sep-03
Dr. James Fourqurean Fl. International Univ. Seagrasses R. Lewis 29-Oct-03
Dr. Grant Gilmore Jr. Dynamac Corporation Ichthyology R. Lewis 27-Oct-03
Mr. Greg Graves FDEP - Water Quality Water Quality G. Braun 7-Oct-03
Mr. Craig Grossenbacher DERM Biology R. Lewis 31-Oct-03
Dr. Sonny Hall SJRWMD - MFL Mgr MFLs G. Braun 16-Sep-03
Mr. Scott Ishman S. Illinois Univ. Paleo-ecology - Forams G. Braun 9-Oct-03
Ms. Jennifer Jacukiewicz NMFS Protected marine species G. Braun 23-Oct-03
Dr. Diego Lirman U of Miami Seagrasses G. Braun 9-Oct-03
Dr. Jerome Lorenz National Audubon Society Ornithology R. Lewis 24-Sep-03
Dr. Susan Markley DERM Manatees G. Braun 4-Sep-03
Dr. John Meeder Fl. International Univ. Marine Ecology and Geology R. Lewis 25-Sep-03
Danielle Mir-Gonzalez Fl. International Univ. Submerged Aquatic Veg G. Braun 8-Oct-03
Mr. Patrick Pitts U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Listed Species G. Braun 11-Sep-03
Dr. Mike Robblee U.S. Geological Survey Marine ecology G. Braun 21-Oct-03
Dr. Martin Roessler M.A. Roessler Assoc., Inc. Fishes, marine ecology G. Braun 20-Oct-03
Mr. Michael Ross Fl. International Univ Coastal Wetlands G. Braun 22-Oct-03
Dr. Joseph Serafy NOAA NMFS CASC Fisheries R. Lewis 23-Sep-03
Mr. Joel VanArman SFWMD Estuarine Ecology G.B & R.L. 1-Oct-03
Ms. Lynn Wingard USGS Molluscs G. Braun 10-Oct-03
Mr. Herbert Zebuth FDEP Loxahatchee River G. Braun 10-Sep-03
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areas. They are involved with various Bay management teams, and believe that sub-surface
freshwater input to the Bay should not be overlooked – suggests investigating Miami-Dade
project at Deering Estate to attempt to re-establish historical water tables in a local pilot
project. They also suggest investigating the State’s Impaired Waters rule, as it uses
chlorophyll as an indicator.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, (Continued)
Interviewee: Herb Zebuth, FDEP. Interviewer: G. Braun. Interview date: Sep. 10, 2003.
Mr. Zebuth is very knowledgeable about MFL process, and critical of SFWMD’s
development of the MFL rule for the Loxahatchee River. He opines that the methodology
followed was flawed – agrees with premise that sedentary organisms are preferable to motile
species as indicators of MFL (even though the fishes and other non-sedentary species (e.g.,
arthropods, mollusks) may be the more valued ecosystem components), but believes
shortcomings are that the adopted rule 1) does not use a combination of both sessile and
motile indicator species, 2) does not identify the levels and durations that the adopted criteria
can be violated, and; 3) restricts vegetative indicators to canopy species (where adverse
impacts will be less visible) and should have included understory species and seedling health.
He is not all that familiar with Biscayne Bay, but sees parallels in: a) existing conditions in
Biscayne Bay, similar to the Loxahatchee River, are degraded and that WMD’s interpretation
of MFL authority should not be interpreted to be restricted to preventing significant ha rm to
existing degraded condition; that the rule should target restoring degraded systems,
particularly if they are currently in states of significant harm, and b) due to CERP projects
and additional research being conducted, the rule needs to specifically identify the triggers
for re-evaluation and re-setting of MFL criteria as new info becomes available.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, (Continued)
Interviewee: Dana Fike for Greg Graves, FDEP – Port St. Lucie. Interviewer: G. Braun.
Interview date: October 7, 2003.
FDEP’s Office of Water Quality is involved in a monitoring project in Biscayne Bay
that could ultimately be of significant value to the MFL effort. Their project, which is in an
early stage and has not yet evolved to the point of having any definitive results, involves
repetitive sampling and analysis of water quality and benthos (both macro invertebrates and
SAV) at locations along fixed transects in Biscayne Bay. They monitor conditions along two
transects that extend eastward from the mouth of C-103 (Mowery Canal) for several hundred
meters ending at locations where they believe that the effects from the canal discharges are
minimal or non-existent. They simultaneously monitor the same parameters at a ‘control’
site to the north near the C-2 (Snapper Creek Canal). They collected the majority of the
samples during April and July 2003, and followed-up with additional sediment samples taken
during Sept, 2003.
Although FDEP taxonomists have not completed their work, Ms. Fike expects that
when the data are analyzed, there will be noticeable trends in the presence/absence,
abundance, distribution and species diversity along the gradient from westward locations that
are heavily influenced by canal discharges to easterly locations where the impacts of canal
discharges are minimal. Preliminary results suggest that non-salinity water quality
parameters (e.g., nitrate nitrogen) may be having a more significant role in determining the
make-up of benthic communities than salinity.
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Florida Department of Environmental Protection, (Continued)
Interviewees: Steven Dale (Manager, Oleta River State Park), and David Boyd (Regional
Biologist for the Florida Park Service). Interviewer: G. Braun. Interview date: October 20,
2003.
Spoke with Mr. Dale and Mr. Boyd after receiving and reviewing the Unit
Management Plan for Oleta River State Park. The Plan, which was most recently updated in