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Oct 2002, identifies coordinating with WMD regarding management of Snake Creek Canal
and coordinating with “the various governmental agencies involved with resource
management activities along the Oleta River and Biscayne Bay” as goals and objectives in
the section on Natural Resources and Cultural Resources.
The plan also includes an inventory of flora and fauna identified within park
boundaries. Regarding identification of potential indicators, they suggest that they have had
some seagrass mapping done, and they do have Halodule wrightii, Halophila decipiens and
H. johnsonii, and that Thalassia testudinum is nearby in areas that likely have a higher
salinity regime.
Mr. Boyd feels neither oysters nor mullet would be good indicators, due to their wide
salinity tolerances, but offers that his experience with blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay
suggests that this species is differentially distributed by gender based on salinity preferences.
In areas where salinities are less than 10 ppt, there are proportionally more adult blue crabs
and immature females, but “almost no mature females”. In areas of higher salinity, he
reports that commercial catches of crab average 80-90% mature females. He therefore
suggests that the catch ratio of mature males to mature females might be a good indicator of
the prevailing salinity regime in that portion of Biscayne Bay. Although neither interviewee
had been there very long, and they offered to speak with others (Renate Skinner) and to
research their files to see if there is any additional information that would be helpful, no
additional feedback was received.
If additional insight is needed regarding fisheries, they suggest contacting Dr.
Christopher Brown (FIU 305-919-4793) for additional information regarding fishes, Dr. Jim
Bohnsack (NOAA – regarding recreational fisheries) and Nancy Cummings regarding stock
assessments.
Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management
Interviewees: Susan Markley and Steve Blair, Miami-Dade DERM. Interviewer: G. Braun.
Interview Date: Sep. 4, 2003.
S. Markley is aware and knowledgeable about MFL process; S. Blair largely
unaware. Collectively, they suggest that the performance measures already developed for
various CERP projects (e.g., Coastal Wetlands, C-111) should guide the development of
MFLs for Biscayne Bay, as they have all been developed with broad input and peer review
and acknowledge that the existing conditions are degraded and should not be considered
target communities. They suggest oysters, crocodiles, and pink shrimp as likely key species.
DERM developed the county-wide Manatee Protection Plan, and it documents that manatees
are attracted to the canal discharges along the west shore of Biscayne Bay, particularly
during winter-time cold fronts, when the inflowing water is comparatively warmer than
chilled bay waters. They have no data to distinguish the extent to which the attracting feature
is freshwater or warm water, but they think that temperature is the more significant
component.
5
S. Blair is overseeing a long-term SAV monitoring project in Biscayne Bay; he has
hundreds of stations throughout Bay, but thinks that the few along the western edge are so
widely spaced that they probably would not be of much help in the understanding of salinityrelated ecosystems, ecologies, habitats and/or the identification of key indicator species.
They suggest that the project team contact Scott Ishman regarding his paleoecological study in Biscayne Bay, and recommend attendance at 10/03 Estuarine Indicator
Workshop to be held at Ding Darling NWR.
Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management (Continued)
Interviewee: Craig Grossenbacker, Miami-Dade DERM. Interviewer: R. Lewis. Interview
Date: October 31, 2003, by phone.
Mr. Grossenbacker was generally familiar with the MFL process. The interviewer
described the process underway and mentioned that since Mr. Grossenbacker was the last
interviewee, much had been learned about middle and southern Biscayne Bay, but that we
still felt additional information was needed on north BB. Mr. Grossenbacker mentioned a
book, "The Story of the Commodore" (may not be exact title) with anecdotal descriptions of
the north bay soon after the turn of the century and before many of the changes had occurred.
He suggested we review it. He also asked if plants as well and animal communities were to
be considered and I indicated yes, and described the potential use of shoal grass as an
indicator and why. He agreed that was a good idea. He asked specifically about tidal marsh
species and we talked about the herbaceous fresh and brackish marshes that likely were more
extant in BB before Baker's Haulover Canal was constructed and were replaced by
mangroves. He asked if we had and were using the Dace County ADID with its wetlands
maps. I indicated I had not seen it on our list. He volunteered to provide a copy and access to
the maps and would get back with me on it. He indicated that only about 70 acres of brackish
marsh may exist in the bay and that it may be continuing to shrink due to replacement by
mangroves due to higher salinities and less fire. Finally he asked about whether we were
looking at the early life history of snook and tarpon and volunteered he had observed large
snook in canals along the western shore of BB during the winter when cold snaps pushed
manatees into the same areas. I indicated were were.
National Marine Fisheries Service
Interviewee: Jennifer Jacukiewcz. Interviewer: G. Braun. Interview dates: September -
October 23, 2003.
Ms. Jacukiewcz is the contact for federally listed marine species that occur in
Biscayne Bay, replacing Shelly Norton who is temporarily on maternity leave. After
discussing the MFL process during a September telephone conversation, Ms. Jacukiewcz
offered to talk with NMFS experts regarding the potential need to consider impacts to
Johnson’s seagrass and smalltooth sawfish. After completing her in-house coordination, she
responded that MFL rule development need not give special to consideration to either of
these species. Her explanations are that, although the spatial distribution of Halophila
johnsonii does end part way through the project area, this species has been documented to
survive in salinities of up to 70 ppt. Although NMFS is not sure exactly what factors or
combination of factors are precluding its presence in southern Biscayne Bay, they surmise
that increased maximum water temperatures may be a factor.
6
Regarding smalltooth sawfish, Ms. Jacukiewcz advises that in south Florida, this
species is primarily known from Florida Bay. Even if it is present in Biscayne Bay (and she
knows of no documentation of such), its presence, preferred habitats of open substrate with
patches of seagrass, and life cycle would not likely to be adversely affected by reduced
freshwater inflows.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
Interviewee: Joan A. Browder, Ph.D., Systems Ecologist, NOAA Fisheries, Virginia Key,
Miami. Interviewer: R.R. Lewis. Interview date: Sep. 26, 2003
Ms. Browder provided copies of two documents from the Biscayne Bay Partnership
Initiative (BBPI), and introductory booklet (January 2001) and "Survey Teams Final
Reports" (319 pages). With regard to literature she mentioned the annotated bibliography of
literature about Biscayne Bay prepared by the RSMAS library and the BBPI publication.
She said she had prepared "South Biscayne Bay Performance Measure Documentation
Sheets" that could also be helpful in understanding existing conditions in relation to target
communities.
Concerning ongoing research, she is currently monitoring benthic invertebrates,
primarily pink shrimp, with Mike Robblee using three methods: throw traps inshore
(Robblee), small trawls and larger commercial roller trawls. The work, which is being done