SEGMENT OF COAST ( N 



SAMPLING SITE Q 



Table 7. — Flow rates of industrial and domestic pollutants into the 

 estuaries of eight segments of the Florida Gulf coast (see fig. 13) 

 in m.g.d. {millions of gallons per day)i/ 



Figure 13,--Segments of the west coast of Florida and 

 sampling sites at which biological and hydrological 

 field work is taking place. 



ACRES FILLED (<I0>) 



Figure 14. — Relations of the human population In seg- 

 ments of the Florida west coast to estuarlne acreage 

 filled for residential and industrial use. (1 acre = 

 0.405 hectare). 



—'To convert millions of gallons per day to millions of liters per day, 



multiply by 3.785. 

 i/.Includes plant design capacity where true flow is unknown. 

 -^ Insignificant . 



have compared the earliest charts of the 

 coast with present charts to map filled areas 

 and have supplemented this work with field 

 observations. The total filled area is 8,851 

 ha. (hectares). As one would expect, the 

 greater the human population the greater the 

 area that has been filled, with the exception 

 of the northwestern segment of the coast 

 where little filling has been done up to now 

 (figs. 13 and 14). 



The location, nature, and quantity of pollu- 

 tion were determined from available sources 

 and the rates of flow totalled by segment 

 (table 7). Although the general magnitude of 

 pollution of estuaries has been known for 

 several years, the specific points of discharge 

 and their relation to the living resources-- such 

 as oyster and clam beds and submerged 

 vegetated areas--have not been mapped and 

 described previously. 



Thus, the Area Description study generates 

 basic knowledge that is statistical in nature 

 and can be mapped readily to show the extent 

 of man's inroads into estuarine resources. It 

 will provide new, basic information for those 

 who are acting to protect the fisheries. 



Biology 



The purpose of the Biology phase is nnore 

 dynamic than that of the Area Description 

 phase. It documents the importance of the 

 estuaries as nurseries and contributors to the 

 success of the Gulf of Mexico fisheries. 



The participants have unanimously agreed 

 to define: 



1. The major connmercial species appearing 

 in the estuaries as immature animals and, 

 within sampling limitations, as adults. 



16 



