Unique or important vertebrates in Sarasota Bay include the 
Atlantic loggerhead turtle, bottlenose dolphin, and West Indian manatee. 
Sea turtles use barrier beaches for nesting. In Manatee and Sarasota 
Counties combined, about 1000 nests are established per year (Mapes 1983- 
1986). Their success depends on storms, natural predators, and beach 
management practices. Dolphin populations have been studied longer in 
Sarasota Bay than anywhere else in the world (Wells 1988). Dolphins 
probably use the bay as a breeding ground and their numbers are stable, 
which is in marked contrast to manatees, an endangered species. Manatees 
occur in Sarasota Bay during summer months and use the bay as a corridor 
prior to the cold season. Between 25 and 50 manatees are believed to 
inhabit the bay on this basis (Patton 1987). The animals are threatened 
most by high speed boat traffic. 
Sarasota Bay supports or enhances about 50 basic, water-dependent 
industries, institutions, and operations and about $20 million annually 
in overall payrolls (Daltry 1988). This direct benefit is augmented by 
an undocumented, indirect economic benefit and also by $115 million of 
economic value in the bay as a wastewater and stormwater receptacle. In 
addition, residential, waterfront property has an estimated value of $1.9 
billion. Close proximity to the bay (less than 2% of the two county land 
mass) results in property tax equal to more than 19% of the total two 
county tax base (Daltry 1988). 
Recreation constitutes the major use of the bay in the forms of 
boating, skiing, diving, surfing, fishing, sightseeing, and nature study. 
Sailing, especially regatta events, attract a national field of 
competitors. There are about 30,000 registered boats in the two county 
area, mostly pleasure craft. In 1985 there were almost 13 million beach 
use and saltwater fishing "occasions" in Manatee and Sarasota Counties. 
Such intensive contact and consumptive use represents a strong 
disincentive for pollution. A dozen conservation and environmental 
groups have a combined membership of nearly two thousand persons. The 
bay is used for educational purposes by one university, one community 
college, several high schools, and a marine program for youthful 
offenders. 
History of Settlement and Resource Management 
The Sarasota Bay area is urbanized in terms of its actual 
watershed, but the system is different than older, urbanized ones because 
it is recently settled and still has large areas of surrounding open 
space, farm land, and natural areas. The bay and basin have experienced 
only about 100 years of settlement. The period prior to World War II saw 
relatively little change in land or bay use, and environmental laws have 
been in effect for the past 15 years, so it was mostly during the period 
1945-1975 that significant alterations to the bay and upland occurred. 
Today extensive areas of the watershed support land uses first put there 
(except for pasture or open range). This situation means that 
infrastructure is not as complex, well developed, or permanent as in 
northern coastal areas, so changes in land use, storm drainage, sewerage, 
or shoreline conditions may be easier or less expensive to accomplish. 
195 
