Contact

Manager: Melissa Charbonneau - Melissa.Charbonneau@dep.state.fl.us
3266 N. Sailboat Avenue
Crystal River, FL 34428
Phone: (352) 563-0450
Office Hours: 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday
Site Hours: Sunrise-Sunset, 365 days/year

Description of Site

The Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve consists mainly of a large, remote, and undeveloped expanse of submerged seagrasses and nearshore marshlands located along some 150 miles of the northeast coast of the Gulf of Mexico where the Florida peninsula joins the panhandle. The preserve boundary encompasses all tidal lands, islands, seagrass beds, shallow banks, and submerged bottoms from the mean high water line extending 9 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. Landward, it includes all natural waterways tidally connected to the preserve to the extent of state jurisdiction.

Numerous estuaries, which nurture a diverse flora and fauna, are formed at the confluence of the many rivers and streams that flow into the preserve. Open waters and submerged bay bottoms of these estuaries support numerous species of commercially and recreationally important fish. The shoreline is dominated by intertidal marsh grasslands, a temperate natural community that is replaced in the tropics my mangroves. Some mangroves occur in the southern reaches of the marshes but are stunted and die back in periodic freezes. 

Established

The Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve was established in1985, Chapter 18-20 FAC/ Chapter 253.395 FS

Location

As the name would imply, the Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve stretches along the whole of the Big Bend, from Wakulla County through Jefferson, Taylor, and Dixie counties until reaching its southern extent at Levy county. Nearby towns and cities include Inglis, Yankeetown, Cedar Key, Chiefland, Suwannee, Horseshoe Beach, Cross City, Steinhatchee, and St. Marks.

Size

The Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve is approximately 945,000 acres.

Watershed

Waccasassa (USGS 0311010): 1014.59 square miles
Lower Suwannee (USGS 03110205): 1560.24 square miles
Econfina-Steinhatchee (USGS 03110102): 1995.08 square miles
Aucilla (USGS 03110103): 974.35 square miles
Apalachee Bay-St. Marks (USGS 03120001): 1203.64 square miles

Habitat

Scrub (G2S2), Mesic Flatwoods (G?S4), Scrubby Flatwoods (G3S3), Upland Mixed Forest (G?S4), Hydric Hammock (G?S4?), Sandhill (G2G3S2), Xeric Hammock (G?S3), Shell Mound (G3S2), Bottomland Forest (G4S4?), Floodplain Forest (G?S3), Floodplain Swamp (G?S4?), Freshwater Tidal Swamp (G3S3), Basin Marsh (G?S4?), Basin Swamp (G4?S3), Depression Marsh (G4?S3), Blackwater Stream (G4S2), Spring-run Stream (G2S2), Prairie Hammock (G4S4), Marine/Estuarine Tidal Marsh (G4S4), Marine/Estuarine Tidal Swamp (G3S3), Marine/Estuarine Consolidated Substrate (G3S3), Marine/Estuarine Unconsolidated Substrate (G5S5), Marine/Estuarine Mollusk Reef (G3S3), Marine/Estuarine Sponge Bed (G2S2), Marine/Estuarine Algal Bed (G3S2), Marine/Estuarine Grass Bed (G2S2), Marine/Estuarine Composite Substrate (G3S3).

Ecological Importance

Mullet, sea trout, redfish, scallops, oysters, clams, shrimp, blue crab, seagrasses, and Juncus are ecologically and economically important species.

The whole of the preserve, with its seagrass beds and saltmarshes, provides a nursery area for finfish and shellfish and a forage area for these same species as well as manatee, osprey, bald eagles, sea turtles, sturgeon, and dolphin.

Geomorphic Features

St. Marks River, East River, Wakulla River, Aucilla River, Wacissa River, Econfina River, Steinhatchee River, Suwannee River, Waccasassa River, Withlacootchee River

Archaeological Features

Submerged Archaic and Paleoindian sites. Deptford sites, some Swift Creek sites in the north, Weeden Island sites in the south. 19^th century shipwreck sites near the Withlacoochee River, Suwannee River, and Cedar Key.

Uses

Recreational:

Fishing with appropriate license, canoeing/kayaking, swimming, SCUBA and snorkeling, nature study, birdwatching, boating.

Commercial:

Fisheries for mullet, blue crab, shrimp, oyster, scallop, clams. Ecotourism.

Educational:

Wide variety of education and outreach programs, visitor center.

Research:

Cooperation with outside agencies and groups in other research programs, including the University of Florida and Florida Marine Research Institute.

Adjacent land use:

Adjacent land use varies from undeveloped land to significant housing developments. Most adjacent land is undeveloped or low density residential.

Adjacent publicly owned conservation areas include St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Econfina River State Park, Hickory Mound Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Spring Creek WMA, Tide Swamp WMA, Jena WMA, Suwannee River National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve, Waccasassa Bay State Preserve, Gulf Hammock WMA

Management Status

Designation:

The area has state designations of Aquatic Preserve and Outstanding Florida Water.
It has also been designated as an EPA Gulf of Mexico Ecological Management Site

Management / Ownership:

Managed as an Aquatic Preserve by the State of Florida, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas.

Management Activities:

Blue Crab research, Project Coast water quality monitoring.

Major threats include water quality issues.

References

Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve Management Plan, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 1992