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UTILIZING SHELLFISH RESPONSES TO SET TARGET WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS FOR THE RESTORATION OF OYSTER REEFS IN THE CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARY, FLORIDA.
Citation:
Volety, A. K., S. G. Tolley, AND J T. Winstead. UTILIZING SHELLFISH RESPONSES TO SET TARGET WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS FOR THE RESTORATION OF OYSTER REEFS IN THE CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARY, FLORIDA. Presented at International Workshop on Restoration of Benthic Invertebrate Populations: Genetics, Diseases & Ecology, Coquimbo, Chile, Nov 9-12, 2002.
Description:
Volety, Aswani K., S.G. Tolley and James T. Winstead. 2002. Utilizing Shellfish Responses to Set Target Water Quality Conditions for the Restoration of Oyster Reefs in the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida. Presented at the International Workshop on Restoration of Benthic Invertebrate Populations: Genetics, Diseases & Ecology, 9-12 November 2002, Coquimbo, Chile. 2 p. (ERL,GB R960).
High temperatures and salinities favor P. marinus resulting in high prevalences and intensities of infection in oyster. However, in our study while P. marinus infections are higher, intensities of infections are low. High temperatures and low salinities during summer and low temperatures and high salinities during winter may act antagonistically to keep P. marinus infections in oysters from the Caloosahatchee River at low levels. These results further suggest that well-timed freshwater releases onto Caloosahatchee River may lower P. marinus infections to non-lethal levels in oysters, thereby increasing survival. High freshwater flows during summer through water management practices and/or heavy summer rains flush out oyster larvae and spat from areas with suitable cultch and/or reduce salinities to levels that are unfavorable for spat settlement and survival. Flows between 500 and 2000 CFS will result n optimum salinities for oysters (15 - 25 ppt) and will result in sustaining and enhancing oyster populations in the Caloosahatchee Estuary. Through our studies we identified water quality targets and specific sites that should sustain, enhance and restore oyster reefs and have communicated to water resource managers. This information is currently being used by resource managers in setting minimum and maximum freshwater flows into the Caloosahatchee Estuary. A pilot project focusing community-based restoration of oyster reefs in targeted areas is now underway. When appropriate, restoration efforts should be coordinated with both water management policies and sound science to ensure success.