Tampa Bay (Florida, USA): documenting seagrass recovery since the 1980’s and reviewing the benefits

In 1995, the Tampa Bay Estuary Program adopted a goal of restoring seagrass areal coverage to 1950s levels after decades of decline. Reaching this goal required collaboration from public and private sectors, and the implementation of over 450 projects (e.g., wastewater upgrades, stormwater improvements, habitat restoration, education, and many others) at an estimated cost of $649 M. Nutrient loading has been cut in half, water clarity is now similar to 1950s levels, and in 2016, 16,857 ha of seagrasses were reported baywide – about 1,480 ha above the original restoration goal. Ongoing monitoring and assessments continue to describe both the total extent and composition of Tampa Bay seagrass beds which guide current management efforts. In addition, ancillary benefits of Tampa Bay’s seagrass resource recovery have started to emerge that will provide additional support and guidance for future management and recovery efforts.