BOCA GRANDE, Fla., April 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sea &
Shoreline, one of the foremost aquatic restoration authorities,
announced the completion of a seagrass rehabilitation project in
partnership with the Gasparilla Island Conservation &
Improvement Association (GICIA) in Boca
Grande, Fla.
Sea & Shoreline partnered with the GICIA to create a marine
sanctuary using innovative techniques. By planting two acres
of seagrass and enclosing the plants within 45 GrowSAV™ Herbivory
Exclusion Devices that will protect the seagrass from herbivory
until it can take root, the seagrass-rich Cove will
improve water quality, provide a sanctuary for sport fish, the
endangered smalltooth sawfish, manatees, dolphins, turtles, and
other sea life.
Mercabo Cove is one of GICIA's largest projects. The site was
once dominated by large buildings, concrete, and expansive
seawalls, but since 2016, GICIA has planted over 3,000 native
plants and installed rip rap and reef balls to improve the water
and the area's overall aesthetics. As one of the final steps in the
project, GICIA wanted to install seagrass to further aid in water
quality improvement, sediment stabilization, and nutrient
sequestration.
"Seagrass is one of the most productive ecosystems in the
world," said Sea & Shoreline Lead Biologist Ryan Brushwood. "It provides a variety of
solutions, such as improving water quality, and providing food and
shelter for marine life. We are thrilled to be working with the
GICIA to transform this industrial site into a conservation
habitat."
"The final step of this restoration project has been the
installation of seagrass, which if successful, will increase our
efforts to improve habitat and water quality within the Cove," said
Misty Nichols, GICIA Executive
Director.
Over the course of the coming year, Sea & Shoreline will
continue to be involved in the community by monitoring the success
of Mercabo Cove and furthering education efforts on seagrass
conservation.
Since its inception in 2014, Sea & Shoreline's heralded
experience with scientifically validated methods of aquatic
restoration has proven successful across more than 150
environmental projects. The company continues to be the industry
leader in rehabilitating threatened and corrupted aquatic
environments. Other current seagrass restoration projects include
those in Crystal River, the Indian
River Lagoon, the Homosassa River, and the Caloosahatchee
River.
ABOUT SEA & SHORELINE
Sea & Shoreline, LLC is
a Florida-based aquatic
restoration firm with two decades of experience restoring fresh and
saltwater habitats to healthy and self-sustaining ecosystems.
Services include seagrass, oyster reef, coral reef, and propeller
scar restorations, dredging, living shorelines, vegetated retaining
walls, wetland plantings, berm stabilizations, and seagrass
mitigation banking. For more information, please visit
seaandshoreline.com, or follow us on social media LinkedIn,
Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
CONTACT: Heather Herold
heather@seaandshoreline.com
(321) 626-6760
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SOURCE Sea & Shoreline, LLC