"The Apalachicola River is truly an American treasure, a blend of beauty and mystery with productivity of one of Florida's last working waterfronts. The fresh waters of the river meet the saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico to form Apalachicola Bay creating an estuary system that produces 90% of Florida's oysters and 10% of the oysters harvested in the entire country. The Bay and estuary area is a tremendous spawning and nursery ground for important commercial and sports fish and home to 40 species of amphibians and 80 species of reptiles creating the highest diversity found in the US and Canada."

Faye Johnson, Director of Development Apalachicola Riverkeeper

Key Accomplishments

• Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (CAMA) staff responsible in both the Aquatic Preserve Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) System work collaboratively on submerged aquatic vegetation research and monitoring and the best management practices for this habitat in the area. The preserve has completed three years of monitoring to date.
• Increased communication and collaboration with the DEP regulatory offices through regular review of permit applications. Comments and site inspections are completed as necessary to ensure that these ecosystems are protected for future generations.
• Staff aided with compliance by responding to public reports of violations and reporting these incidents to the district offices.
• In order to promote use of sustainable resources, staff participate in public events and workshops, including Estuaries Day and Seagrass Awareness Month. These events target youth from local schools. Staff are currently coordinating with a local elementary school to give regular presentations on the important resources in the surrounding bay systems.

Location:

Franklin and Gulf counties

Acreage

104,000 acres of sovereign submerged lands

Contact:

Kim Wren
Aquatic Preserve Manager
350 Carroll Street
East Point, FL 32328
850-670-4783

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Further information about Apalachicola Bay Aquatic Preserve

Apalachicola Bay Aquatic Preserve Management Plan

Oystermen

Shoreline of the Apalachicola Bay

Rainbow over the bay

• Apalachicola Bay is one of the most productive estuarine systems in the Northern hemisphere as a result of the overall good water quality.
• Apalachicola Bay is an exceptionally important nursery area for the Gulf of Mexico.
• Over 95% of all species harvested commercially and 85% of all species harvested recreationally in the open Gulf have to spend a portion of their life in estuarine waters. Blue crabs, for example, migrate as much as 300 miles to spawn in Apalachicola Bay.
• Apalachicola Bay is a major forage area for such offshore fish species as gag grouper and gray snapper.
• The area is a major forage area for migratory birds, in particular for trans-gulf migrants in the spring.

Sunrise over the bay