to US Highway 1. Physical water quality parameters measured at the surface, one meter, and 
bottom of each station include temperature, pH, conductivity, oxidation/reduction potential, 
salinity, dissolved oxygen, and photosynthetically active radiation. Biological parameters 
include seagrass shoot and blade density by species, and seagrass standing crop biomass. 
9.4.2. Monroe County 
As of this writting, the environmental programs conducted by Monroe County focused on land 
and freshwater not on Florida Bay. 
9.5. Private sector 
9.5.1. The Nature Conservancy 
The Florida Bay Watch Program^ of The Nature Conservancy, which became active in March 
1994, has a two-fold mission in Florida Keys: to collect valuable scientific information about 
the health and status of the Florida Bay ecosystem and to involve concerned citizens in the Keys 
in formulating solutions for the problems of the Bay. Program participants will learn about 
environmental monitoring and observation of the cycles and responses of natural systems that 
are influential in the livelihood and lifestyle of area residents. The deteriorating water quality 
in Florida Bay is affecting commercial and sports fishing in the Bay, and commercial fishermen 
were among the first to recognize and report the problem. 
The Florida Bay Watch Program trains and empowers volunteers to monitor water quality and 
related phenomena in the Bay and adjacent waters. Volunteers are collecting scientific and 
observational data such as water quality and associated phenomena, and anecdotal information 
such as location of fish kills and deformities, sponge die-offs, and the location of algal blooms. 
Sampling began at nine stations in June 1994 and more will be added. Monthly aerial flyovers 
are also carried out. A plane flies over the Bay looking for discolored water patches. A 
scientist with a GPS takes waypoints and maps the areas of discolored water. Then FMRI 
scientists and Bay Watch volunteers go out and take samples at selected sites. Data for March, 
April, May, and June will be available by August 1995. The volunteers collect a water sample 
to be analyzed for algal species, relative abundance, presence of cyanobacteria, chlorophyll, 
total particulate load, organic and inorganic load. A second sample is analyzed for total P. The 
volunteers also take hydrometer, thermometer and secchi disk readings, wind speed and 
direction, current speed and direction, color of the water and note tides for the day. This 
information is stored at FMRI. Dr. R.Jones, FIU, analyzed these samples for Bay Watch. Benthic 
sampling, CTD tows and anecdotal information projects began in the summer of 1994. Bay 
Watch is designed and coordinated to augment ongoing water quality studies conducted by FIU, 
the FMRI and ENP. 
The Nature Conservancy recently completed an anecdotal and historical chronology of events 
that affected the marine environment of the Florida Keys from 1714 to the present (DeMaria, 
in press). Excerpts of this work are listed in Table 21. 
0 F. Decker, Florida Bay Watch Program, PO Box 500368, Marathon, FL 33050. 305 743 2437 or 800 2149BAY. 
84 
