CHAP Assists in Seagrass Inspection for Upcoming Causeway Project

Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserves staff lent a hand to the Southwest Florida Water Management District regulatory staff and their consultant during a site inspection of the Gasparilla Island Causeway Shore Protection Project. Staff documented seagrass coverage within the project area including Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) and Halodule wrightii (shoal grass). The consultant plans to make an extra effort to redesign the Causeway to minimize impact on the seagrass present.   

Staff also noted the existing seawall was covered in hard coral colonies and numerous colonial tunicates exhibiting a range of coloration patterns. The presence of these organisms highlights the ecological diversity within Gasparilla Sound-Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve and the importance of protecting these species even for shoreline protection projects.