Table 6. Trapping and hunting report summary. 



Species 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 8 



Trapping 



Muskrat 



Mink 



Nutria 



Raccoon 



Otter 



Duck 



Whitetailed Deer 

 Alligator 



Hunting 



B Trapping harvest data for the 1987-88 season not available. 



Salinity 



Salinity levels were variable in 1986 and 1987. In 1988, average salinities were higher at many 

 of the sites inside the area compared to the salinity outside of weir 1 in 1988. In 1987, the 

 average salinity was slightly higher outside weir 1 than all of the sites inside the area. The 1988 

 increase was caused by a lack of rainfall to provide freshwater, saltwater being pushed into the area 

 by Hurricane Juan and remaining trapped there, or other factors. Based on limited data, it is too 

 early to tell if the structural measures are having a positive effect on salinity levels, but salinities 

 have decreased significantly from 1982 levels. 



Vegetation 



Impacts to the vegetative community resulting from the management plan are expected to occur 

 slowly. The results obtained from the monitoring program are encouraging, but not enough 

 information has been collected to definitely state that the plan has stopped the erosion process and 

 is adding to or improving the quality of the existing marsh. However, some positive indications that 

 the plan is working include the following: 



1. Plants such as Bacopa and Eleocharis spp. are invading small open water areas. These plants 

 will provide a substrate on which other, more dominant species can grow. 



2. Most open water areas now support submerged vegetation such as Myriophyllum spp., 

 Ceratophyllum, Najas spp., and Ruppia. 



3. Species composition is becoming more diverse in some locations. Eleocharis cellulosa, Eleocharis 

 flavescens and Bacopa are becoming much more predominant in the plant community. 



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