Long-Term Monitoring Engages Students and the Community in Fish Conservation

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) monitors the status of the popularly harvested Bay Scallop (Argopecten irradians) throughout the Florida Gulf coast.  In one northern location, St. Andrews Bay, the scallop fishery closed in 1995 due to low recruitment and during the last 10 years citizen scientists and college undergraduates have worked in partnership with FWC to assess annual growth and survivorship from cage enclosures. Measurements are completed every three weeks during the spat through early juvenile stage, and the results supplement research throughout the state of Florida. Scallop growth and survival are closely related to temperature and the long-term collection of volunteer data has established that growth in northern Florida is reduced compared to south Florida. The ability to sustain the work clearly reflects the enjoyment that volunteers take from being a part of a long term monitoring project. The program has spurred several positive outcomes including the creation of a monthly citizen science lecture series as a forum to educate students and the public about conservation projects in the region.