In 2010, the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) and the NOAA Restoration Center are investing over $400,000 in 11 aquatic habitat restoration projects in five southeastern states. Through these projects, about 5.5 acres of coastal marsh, 3 acres of oyster reef, 6 acres of brackish marsh, and 5.5 acres of wetlands may be created or restored. In addition, these projects will encourage local communities and state agencies to work together in restoring these habitats, not only benefitting living marine resources, but also developing a stewardship ethic to maintain them for future generations. The data from each project will help the partnership achieve its long term goal to promote, facilitate, and implement cooperative habitat conservation and restoration in the southeast.

The projects are:

1. St. Andrew Bay Environmental Study Team, Inc.-"From Bulkheads to Grassbeds," St. Andrew Bay, FL
2. The City of Gulf Breeze - "Deadman’s Island Restoration Project," southwest side of Pensacola Bay Bridge, Gulf Breeze, FL
3. Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County "Improving Management of Seagrass Resources through Restoration and Assessment," Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve, Tampa Bay, FL
4. Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (F.I.S.H.) - "F.I.S.H. Preserve Habitat Restoration Project," Cortez, FL
5. GA Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division - "Oyster Reef Restoration / Enhancement through the use of Shell and Non-Shell Cultch Materials," Altamaha Estuary, GA
6. Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs - "Jefferson Parish Lafitte Terrace Planting," Barataria Bay Waterway, LA
7. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), NC Chapter -" Hydrologic Restoration of Coastal Wetlands on North Carolina’s Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula," Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, NC
8. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - "Using Positive Interactions Between Bivalves and Seagrass to Reduce Habitat Fragmentation and Restore Essential Fish Habitat," Rachel Carson National Estuarine Research Reserve, NC
9. North Carolina Coastal Federation (NCCF), "Jockey’s Ridge State Park Community-based Living Shoreline Restoration Project, Phase II," Roanoke Sound, Nags Head, NC
10. Marine Resources Research Institute, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources - "CONSTRUCT – Creating oyster niche structures through restoration using crab traps,"Charleston Harbor, Stono River, Ashley River, Leadenwah Creek, Dawho River Flats, Tom‘s Point Creek, SC
11. Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept., Coastal Fisheries Division - "North Shore Eagle Point Oyster Restoration – Phase II," North Shore of Eagle Point, Galveston Bay, TX

Individuals from local communities participating in each of these projects, reflect a growing commitment by Americans to conserve and restore the ecosystems around them. These projects will also achieve the goals of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), which nationally coordinates and supports regionally-based fisheries protection, restoration and enhancement. SARP is one of the first recognized NFHAP partnerships.

For information about specific projects, contact the partnership's Program Administrator, Marilyn Barrett-O'Leary at 225-892-7470 or marilyno@southeastaquatics.net.