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Tampa Bay Estuary Program

@tampabayestuaryprogram

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Show our social media manager we did a good job and go to the link in our bio to learn how and why you should be an ethical angler 🎣 #NationalFishingMonth by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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a day ago

Is this you? No? Would you like it to be? 👇👀

We're looking for photographers who want to get paid to help us build a portfolio of images that showcases Tampa Bay. 📸 We're interested in aerials, underwater images, and images of people, places, and wildlife. Not to narrow it down or anything... 😅 If you are a photographer interested in working with us, please go to the Procurement page on our website to learn more linked in our bio and in today's story. Hands holding a Canon DSLR camera capturing a sunlit outdoor scene with trees and greenery in focus on the screen. by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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8 days ago

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9 days ago

Why do we need prescribed burns? 🏞️🔥

👫🏡 To keep people and property safe
🦌🌳 To maintain healthy habitats and wildlife

The habitats in Florida were shaped by wildfire over eons. Today, many are literally designed to burn. But more and more people are living closer to the wild places that have evolved to burn regularly. Intentionally burning habitats that haven't burned recently enough keeps people and property safe from destructive wildfires. Prescribed burns get rid of the built up "fuel", or burnable material like fallen leaves, that can make wildfires more dangerous. They also keep these habitats healthy and prevent wildfires from becoming severe enough to damage the habitat. Firefighter in yellow gear monitoring a controlled grass fire in an open field under a cloudy sky. Text reads, Why do we need prescribed burns? by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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11 days ago

Our office truth or dare goes hard... 🤓

Learn more about how air quality affects water quality at the link in today's story. 💨🌊

🎥 A person knocks on the doorway of an office and then enters and films a person sitting at their desk answering questions. by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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18 days ago

We love this place where rivers and land meet sea
In the bay that's also an estuary
Where people can play and just be
A place rich in history
Where enjoying the outdoors is free
Today we celebrate this sanctuary
Here's to another 250,
Happy Birthday, America! ♥️🤍💙 A tryptic showing a close-up of red mangrove tree roots submerged in shallow water with green leaves above. White sand and blue water. by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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21 days ago

Some gentle, not-so-subtle reminders for this holiday weekend... 👉👈😅 Aerial view of a coastal area with dark and light brown patches in shallow water near a green shoreline. Text says, Brown, brown go around. by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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22 days ago

There are several programs in our area that test and report water quality for common places people go to swim and recreate. We'll link them in the comments. But, wait, not so fast... You might be surprised to learn that when a report says that water tests have found bacteria associated with poop (fecal coliform bacteria), that scientists don't know for sure if that means the water is actually unsafe.

Scientists test for fecal coliform bacteria because that is the best option we have to determine if water could have been contaminated by sewage, which could bring all kinds of other pathogens that are dangerous to human health. Problem is, not all fecal coliform bacteria are from human poop or even poop at all. So, we might be avoiding water that's perfectly safe. Just because there are balloons doesn't mean it's a birthday party... That's the same issue here. For now, it's the best we have so don't take this to mean we want you to ignore water quality and safety reports.

But if we knew more about where, why, how much, and for how long potentially dangerous contamination gets to and lasts in the bay, we could better communicate the risk of coming into contact with water in that area. TBEP has been interested in this question for years and, soon, we're hoping to finally get some answers. Stay tuned for more on this topic over the coming months. For now, read about our commitment to public health in our Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan at the link in our bio. A lone person fishing in calm, cloudy beach waters with seaweed and algae scattered on the shore. Text says, "Is the water at your favorite beach clean?" by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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23 days ago

"Check this out!" 🔍👀

We found some neat additions to our temperature logger when we picked it up last week. And this is after it was in the water for only a week! See those beige, flappy-looking things sticking to the logger on the bottom left? Those are egg casings from a lightning whelk (a predatory sea snail)! You can also see a lot of baby barnacles growing on the logger and the stake it's attached to. How cool, right?! What wonderful signs of life flourishing in the bay.

This temperature logger is part of our Old Tampa Bay temperature monitoring project. TBEP staff and partners have been busy deploying and recovering these loggers this summer so we can monitor in-water temperatures. Marine heat waves are harmful to marine life and we're studying the impacts of heat on seagrass health in the shallow waters of Old Tampa Bay. Follow along and look at data from previous deployments at the link in our bio. 🔗

Speaking of things that hurt the bay, we also found a not-so-cool thing on this trip: a red mylar balloon. With summer festivities picking up, we think it's a good time to remind you that #balloonsblow. Keep marine life safe by keeping your balloons tied up and definitely don't let them go on purpose! Person in wetsuit and snorkel gear holding a water sampling device while standing waist-deep in a body of water. by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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a month ago

For our water, for our health, for our shoes... Scoop the poop. It's really that simple. Black dog squatting in shallow muddy water near riverbank with text 'For our water' above. by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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a month ago

Underwater treasure hunt? Yes, please! 🤿
 Join the 31st Annual Great Bay Scallop Search on August 1st & support ongoing marine science data in Tampa Bay. Explore local waters, hunt for scallops, and help us keep tabs on Tampa Bay’s health—all while having fun on the water.

Did you know ⁉️
👉 Bay scallops are an indicator species, meaning their population is closely related to the health of our bay!  In partnership with @tampabayestuaryprogram and @pinellasenv , this event helps us gain a deeper understanding of the water quality of our bay, so grab your snorkels and register at the link in bio! ✨

Special thank you to our sponsor @weareowenscorning for their support of this event! by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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a month ago

If thinking about environmental problems, like habitat loss, seems to hurt your mental health and emotional wellbeing, you aren't alone.

The consequences of environmental change go beyond physical impacts like flooding and heat—it impacts our mental health, as well. In a recently published study, we found that eco-anxiety is a real and measurable phenomenon in Tampa Bay. And it's more prevalent than expected with roughly one in six residents exhibiting moderate to severe symptoms. But there are ways to help ourselves (and others!) feel better while we help protect the environment. Read the study here: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pan3.70365 Person sitting on the ground near a weathered wooden plank in a dry, grassy outdoor area during sunset. by @tampabayestuaryprogram

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a month ago