Sarasota Bay Watch receives Gulf Guardian Award

Sarasota Bay Watch received the Gulf Guardian award from The EPA's Gulf of Mexico Program Partnership for its Sarasota Bay Scallop Restoration. The Gulf Guardian awards were developed as a way to recognize and honor the businesses, community groups, individuals, and agencies that are taking positive steps to keep the Gulf healthy. Sarasota Bay Watch's Scallop Restoration earned a third place in the Civic/Non Profit category of the Gulf Guardian award.

SBW's award winning Scallop Restoration Project is in its third year of a ten year initiative. Sarasota Bay Watch raises community funds, utilizes Bay Shellfish Co. to grow the scallops to the larval stage, and with the assistance of sponsors and volunteers releases the larvae onto seagrass beds in Sarasota Bay. Restoring the scallop population in Sarasota Bay positively effects water quality, fish diversity, and the local economy. SBW has released 24 million larvae in the past two years demonstrating what the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute claims to be the “strongest, most aggressive scallop restoration project in the state of Florida”.