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Please take a look our live water quality station and discover what's happening
right now in this aquatic preserve:
http://www.ysieconet.com/public/WebUI/Default.aspx?hidCustomerID=103
Randy Runnels -
Randy.Runnels@dep.state.fl.us
130 Terra Ceia Road
Terra Ceia, FL 34250
(941) 721-2068
(941) 721-2070 FAX
Boca Ciega Bay Aquatic Preserve was established August 1, 1969. December 1, 1982, it was designated
as an Outstanding Florida Water.
Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve was established July 1, 1976 and was designated as an Outstanding
Florida Water on March 1, 1979.
Pinellas County Aquatic Preserve was established March 21, 1972 and was designated as an Outstanding
Florida Water on March 1, 1979.
Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve was established June 24, 1984, but was amended on June 25, 1985. It was
designated as an Outstanding Florida Water on May 22, 1986.
Boca Ciega Bay Aquatic Preserve and Pinellas County Aquatic Preserve are both located in Pinellas
County. Boca Ciega Bay Aquatic Preserve runs along the southwest coastline of the county and
the remainder of the sovereign submerged lands in Pinellas County comprise the Pinellas County Aquatic
Preserve.
Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve is in southern Hillsborough County and includes part of the Little
Manatee River.
Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve is in Manatee County, along the southeastern shore of Tampa Bay.
Boca Ciega Bay Aquatic Preserve: 22,000 acres
Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve: 8,583 acres
Pinellas County Aquatic Preserve: 336,265 acres
Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve: 25,786 acres
The submerged lands of the preserve include both hard and soft bottom habitats, seagrass beds, and
oyster reefs. The shoreline is protected by mangroves, which also offer additional habitat. Natural
and spoil islands that are state-owned within the preserve boundary are also managed as part of the
preserve.
Rare / Endangered Species
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
State |
Federal |
Reptiles |
|
|
|
| American alligator |
Alligator
mississipiensis |
SSC |
T (s/a) |
| Atlantic loggerhead |
Caretta caretta
caretta |
T |
T |
| green sea turtle |
Chelonia mydas |
E |
E |
| leatherback sea turtle |
Dermochelys coriacea |
E |
E |
| Eastern indigo snake |
Drymarchon corais couperi |
T |
T |
| |
|
|
|
Birds |
|
|
|
| roseate spoonbill |
Ajaia ajaja |
SSC |
n/a |
| little blue heron |
Egretta caerulea |
SSC |
n/a |
| snowy egret |
Egretta thula |
SSC |
n/a |
| tricolor heron |
Egretta tricolor |
SSC |
n/a |
| bald eagle |
Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
T |
T |
| wood stork |
Mycteria americana |
E |
E |
| brown pelican |
Pelecanus occidentalis |
SSC |
n/a |
| |
|
|
|
Mammals |
|
|
|
| Florida manatee |
Trichechus manatus |
E |
E |
State listings are taken from the Florida Game & Fresh Water Fish Commission or as with plants,
Florida Department of Agriculture. Federal listings are taken from the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service. E= Endangered; T= Threatened; T (s/a)= Threatened due to similarity in appearance;
SSC= Species of Special Concern; UR= Under review; n/a= information not available or no designation
listed
Madira Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site is located on Terra Ceia Island within the area of
the preserve. Eighty-one additional sites have been identified along the coastline within the
preserve. The other preserves are also rich in archaeological sites.
Recreational activities available to the public include camping, picnicking, bird-watching, and
fishing. Both public and private boat ramps operated by other entities provide boating access to
the preserve. A canoe and kayak launch located in Bishop Harbor in Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve is
available for public use. Hillsborough Community College Environmental Studies Center is an 18-acre
educational facility located adjacent to the Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve. The preserve can also be
accessed through the
Little Manatee River State Park. Local paddling trails often connect to larger blueways
network. State-owned islands are classified by appropriate use as recreational, educational, and/or
conservation. Honeymoon
Island State Park and
Caladesi Island State Park in the Pinellas County Aquatic Preserve both allow fishing,
swimming, and bird-watching. In addition, Caladesi Island State Park also has a paddling trail.
Natural and spoil islands that are state-owned within the preserve boundary are also managed as part
of the preserve.
As aquatic preserves in a highly urbanized area, most of the management concerns have to deal with
that urbanization. They include recreational issues, such as protecting the islands from inappropriate
use and vandalism and boating activities. Other impacts from urbanization include runoff and
dredging, loss of habitat due to shoreline hardening and adjacent upland development, and impacts to
water quality due to an increased load of nutrients. The islands in the preserves, as well as
shorelines are subject to erosion and invasion by exotic species, such as Brazilian pepper, Australian
pine, and melalueca.
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About the Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves
