FL & GA > seagrass collection questions

[piercho]

Can anyone provide info for collecting seagrass (1 gal core of sand with roots) in the area of the St Mary's river, either on the FL or GA side? My understanding is that shoal grass (Halodule) and manatee grass (Syringodium) both extend this far North, Thalasia does not. I've seen Mantees up the channel north of the river (behind Cumberland Is) this time of year, so I'm assuming that I can find some sort of grass in this area.

Any info would be handy: where it can be located, rules for collecting (if any), what genus will be emerging now. I just got the word yesterday to travel (business trip) and will fly out tomorrow so responses within the next 18 hours would help.

TIA. Gotta run finish taxes and pack. :lol:

 

[davidpt40]

Could I persuade you to collect some seagrass for me? I would pay you for some.

 

[RicksReefs]

i don't know about georgia, but collecting
seagrasses is illegal in florida.
i've contacted fl. F&W in the past to verify.

 

[Nishant3789]

uh oh too late.... i took like 30 mangrove pods and 1 bit of turtle greass or something from sanibel island
nishant-

 

[piercho]

I've found that the water here is as dark as cocoa. I don't see any evidence of submerged grasses around the outlet of the river where salinity would be near full strength. I get to hunt some more this afternoon and tomorrow before I leave Friday. I'll check out Sanibel if it's in driving distance, thanks.

 

[RicksReefs]

I'll check out Sanibel if it's in driving distance, thanks.

only if you really like to drive
sanibel island is on the southern end of the
west coast, near fort meyers.

your better off checking in the indian river lagoon
or whatever they call the river on the inside of the
barrier islands up there. they seem to prefer the
lower flow areas.of course you didn't hear it from me.

 

[piercho]

Rick, thanks. A trip down to IRL is really too far for me, too, as I have to make the drive in the few hours after my workday. Its ironic that you directed me to the IRL, because it was on the Smithsonian's IRL website that I've located the best info I've found for descriptions of West Atlantic tropical seagrass. It turns out the manatees up here (GA barrier islands) are mainly grazing emergent aquatic plants on the high tides. There could still be some seagrass around here but, like I said earlier, the water in this area is like cocoa, so its hard to search for them. Plan A had been to get roots shipped in live sand from one of the Tampa rock cultivators this spring, so I'll fall back to that idea. Thanks, everyone, for the help.

 

[Will]

Wow, thanks for that link Howard. It has a TON of info!
-Will

 

[RicksReefs]

ya, nice link, it's already in a file , thx