This blog is dedicated to the environmental well-being of our Florida coastal habitat.

This blog is
dedicated to the environmental well-being of coastal habitat.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Monday, December 21, 2009

Invitation from Sarasota Bay Watch

You are invited to join us at the:
Inaugural Sarasota Bay Watch Stakeholders' Meeting
"Our Living Shoreline"
Tuesday, January 19; 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
(Meeting begins at 6:30)
New Pass Room, Keating Center, Mote Marine Laboratory
1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236
Please join us for an informative evening regarding the present state of the Sarasota Bay ecosystem. Speakers will present current restoration programs and new personal options for shore-line homeowners (including scallop cages,reef balls and dock and seawall habitats). A question and answer session will follow the presentations. Participating groups and organizations include Sarasota Bay Watch, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Manatee County Government, Sarasota County Government, Reef Ball Foundation, and ORCA (Ocean Restoration Corp. & Associates).
This free event is open to the public. Registration is required. Please call (941) 953-5333 to register.

Red Tide Beach Study on Siesta Key Public Beach Today

http://www.zandavisitor.com/newsarticle-2739-Red_Tide_Beach_Study_on_Siesta_Key_Public_Beach_by_Mote_Marine_Aquarium
- Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

There's also lots of news about events at Aquariums, Sanctuaries, Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers, etc. at this site.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Quick Point Catch

Bay Life Search








Sunday, December 6, 2009

This week's storm on the New Jersey Coast

Seaside Park & Seaside Heights in Jersey.
The Surf Club in Seaside was almost washed away.

Northeast storms are common along the New Jersey coast.






Oil drilling realities

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20091206/OPINION/912061020/2198/OPINION?Title=Oil-drilling-realities
- Sarasota Herald Tribune

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Supreme Court to hear Florida beach property rights dispute

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-beaches2-2009dec02,0,344997.story
- Los Angeles Times

Florida beach dispute in Supreme Court could impact local restoration projects

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/dec/02/florida-beach-supreme-court-impact-restoration/
- Naples News

Neptune Beach council looks at more protection for public land

http://www.shorelines.com/node/1836
- Shorelines.com

Offshore Drilling

"During the last legislative session, anonymous oil
representatives told Florida's legislators that offshore drilling could be
done 3 - 10 miles offshore without harming Florida's environment,
tourism or the economy.
The fact is Florida's economy is based on having clean beaches and a
healthy environment, not oil refineries, storage tanks, oil platforms and
pipelines. The fact is hurricanes happen and oil spills happen, the fact is
using the most modern and best available technologies oil spills still
happen, and the fact is oil refineries require tremendous amount of
water and will compete directly with existing industries and jobs that are
dependent on a limited supply of water."

- Manasota-88: December 2009 Newsletter

Rose Bay cleanup nears final stages

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Enviro/bchNS01ENV112909.htm
- Daytona Beach News-Journal Online

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Sand and The Supreme Court - A Note from our Director

The United States Supreme Court has decided to hear a case involving a proposed beach reclamation project in Florida that affected coastal property owners claim will place a wide swath of public sand between them and the Gulf of Mexico depriving them of their waterfront property rights. The state Supreme Court of Florida had upheld the state project stating that “Florida has a constitutional duty to protect its beaches”. The plaintiffs claim “the intent is a land grab by local government to create a public beach where a private beach previously existed”.
Let’s hope the state prevails in this one. Private ownership of coastal property should not include beaches which should be considered part of the public domain. Because of the state’s rights principle the public trust doctrine is inconsistent throughout the nation even though the public pays for both maintenance of present shorelines and past mistakes that have created erosion or taken access away from the public.
- David Bulloch, Director, SE American Littoral Society