Annual Meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

THE ESTUARY CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION TO HOLD ANNUAL MEETING

FEB. 16TH 2009 AT 7 PM IN CLAUSSEN HALL

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH 625 111TH AVE,NAPLES

The ECA is a non-profit Florida Corporation created in 1983 to promote and conduct research into the conservation and improvement of the environment and recreational uses of Wiggins Pass and the estuarial waters of the Cocohatchee River. Current and planned programs to be discussed include the following:

THE ESTUARY GUARDIAN PROGRAM
The program is funded by ECA and is a partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University. The students involved are in the Marine Studies/Environmental Studies programs under the direction of Dr John Fitch of FGCU and an ECA Director. They produce the annual Cocohatchee Estuary Water Quality Report as a cooperative project with Collier County by doing monthly sampling of five sites and determining any point sources of pollution. In addition a study cataloging point source pollution is being conducted by the Guardian and volunteers.They also continue the mapping of current sea grass beds and develop GPS coordinates for them. An additional long-term water quality trend project is being done in conjunction with The Conservancy of Southwest Florida and the Vanderbilt Beach Association.

ARTIFICIAL REEF MONITORING PROGRAM
There are twenty artificial reefs in Collier County waters. The County is required by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers to monitor the sites on a quarterly and annual basis. This is accomplished by diving on the reefs, surveying them and conducting cleanups to remove marine and other debris. The dives are funded through a partnership between the ECA, Collier County and the Eagle Ray Dive Shop.

SHELL BEDS AND SHOALS FOR OYSTERS
The ECA Board is reviewing a plan to develop shell beds and shoals for oysters as a community friendly program which will improve water quality by filtering the water in the estuaries. ECA will work with Dr. Aswani Volety of FGCU a widely recognized authority in the field and also an ECA Director. This project would be done in conjunction with Collier County.

COMMUNITY FORUMS
ECA plans several informational forums during the year. They will be designed to educate and involve community residents of all ages.



WIGGINS PASS MAINTENANCE
Mr Gary McAlpin, Director of the Collier County Office of Coastal Zone Management will discuss the maintenance dredge planned to start in mid-February as well as the modeling program underway to develop a more permanent solution to the problem.



GUARDIAN OF THE YEAR
The award will be presented to Dr Jon Staiger for his more than twenty years of service in the field for the city of Naples and ECA.

GUEST SPEAKER
Commissioner Frank Halas of Collier County

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Joe Moreland ECA President at
239.348.1546 or jmorel2409@aol.com