Location:
Weedon Island is located
in upper Tampa Bay waters of Pinellas County on the western shore of the
entrance to Old Tampa Bay and directly west of Port Tampa (see
location map for Fort De Soto seagrass protection zones). Weedon Island
has extensive mangrove communities along the length of the island, that
provide a wetland buffer for the shallow seagrass system surrounding the
island complex. Dense seagrass communities comprised of turtle grass,
Cuban shoal grass and manatee grass contribute to the productivity of
Tampa Bay in this area.
Date of
Seagrass Protection Zone Authorization:
January, 1991 (Department of Natural Resources; Florida Park Service)
for the seagrass systems along the eastern shoreline of Weedon Island,
later expanded and continued under the transfer to Pinellas County authority
in October, 1996.
Authorization:
Original seagrass protection zones were authorized under existing
Florida State Park rules. Regulations establishing this authority include,
258.007 (2) FS, and Sections 62D-2.014(8)(a), FAC and 62D-2.014(16)(b),
FAC and their precursors . The former administrative rule subsection stipulates
that no person shall operate a boat in waters closed by the Division of
Recreation and Parks (FDEP). The latter subsection states that park management
has the authority to partially or entirely close an area to any use for
any time period for resource protection. Boat access restrictions were
continued through the authorization of Pinellas County Ordinance No. 96-80
(Section 5) in October, 1996 after the transfer of Weedon Island State
Preserve.
Wording
on Signs:
Signs marking the boundaries of the combustion engine exclusion zones
consist of standard buoys with orange bands at the base and top and the
language "No Combustion Engines" on them. In 1998, the
Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management plans to change
the signs designating the seagrass protection zones to match those used
for the Fort De Soto zones.
Enforcement:
Enforcement of Pinellas County seagrass protection zones is provided
by officers of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department, the Florida
Marine Patrol and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Enforcement
Action:
A violation of the zones, upon conviction, results in a fine and/or
County Jail imprisonment not exceeding $500 or a term up to 60 days. The
County Attorney may also institute civil or administrative actions or
proceedings to "declare, prevent, restrain, correct or abate"
any such violation. In addition to any other penalties, the Board of County
Commissioners also may require restoration, mitigation, or enhancement
in order to ameliorate the adverse effects of the violation.
History:
The Weedon Island Aquatic Management area is a low-lying group of
islands including Mud Hole Island, Benjamin Island, Snake Island, Christmas
Island, Googe Island, Ross Island and the largest of the islands, Weedon
Island itself. The island management area consists of over one thousand
acres of diverse communities from coastal berm and maritime hammocks on
the uplands to marine seagrasses in the sub-tidal areas. The island was
originally settled by native Americans approximately 10,000 years B.C.,
as evidenced by extensive burial mound development, and was alternately
used as a ranch, farm, and weekend getaway for the Weedon family and others
from the late 1860s until 1929. Weedon Island was the site of a major
airport and small scale movie studio in the 1930s and was a military training
base during World War II. The State purchased portions of Weedon Island
in February, 1974, and the Weedon Island State Preserve was officially
opened to the public in December, 1980. Damage to seagrass beds due to
propeller scarring was noted in a FDEP (then Florida Department of Natural
Resources) report to the Division of State Lands in December, 1989, with
recommendations for closure of preserve waters to vessels with combustion
engines. Activities related to recreation fishing and boating and commercial
fishing were identified as the source of this damage. Establishment of
no combustion engine zones occurred in January, 1991, when the eastern
seagrass meadows of the preserve were closed to all vessels with internal
combustion engines. Weedon Island State Preserve was officially transferred
to the Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management with existing
seagrass protection zones and management structures intact in December,
1996. Expanded seagrass protection has led to recovery of propeller scarred
areas with new scarring occurring occasionally due to errors in navigation.
The zones in this management area are also covered under the Fort De Soto
five year monitoring plan in order to evaluate their environmental effectiveness.
Weedon Island Aquatic Management Area Combustion Engine Exclusion Zones in Pinellas County
