Tampa Bay Watch is offering a new After-Care Marine Science Academy for elementary students at the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center on the St. Pete Pier! See their flyer for more information.
Tampa Bay Watch Kids Art Contest Deadline!
Tampa Bay Watch is seeking Tampa Bay area students, grades K-8, to submit artwork to be used to redesign our Kids’ Pages header. The artwork should encapsulate the beauty and diversity of the Tampa Bay estuary. The winner’s artwork will be featured as the heading of their Kids’ Pages publications for all readers to see! Visit tampabaywatch.org/kidspages to learn more and download entry form. Deadline is 9/7.
Tampa Bay Watch 2021 Calendar Photo Contest
Deadline for entries is September 14. Click here for all of the details.Tampa Bay Watch is seeking your best photos of the bay’s natural wonders for their 2021 wall calendar. Each annual Tampa Bay Watch wall calendar features stunning images of native wildlife and breathtaking shots of our precious skyscapes and waterways. Tampa Bay Watch is proudly dedicated to the protection and restoration of Florida’s largest open water estuary and its most photogenic residents. Click here to enter.
133 Scallops found in the 2020 DIY Great Bay Scallop Search
The 26th Annual citizen science event was do-it-yourself this year. Volunteer boaters and kayakers snorkeled in Lower Tampa Bay on their own time to find a grand total of 133 scallops. This year’s number is the highest that they’ve seen since 2015 despite the torrential rains prior to the event which affected the total count. Additionally many participants commented on poor visibility and seeing many fresh half shells of recently expired scallops. Bart Valdes’ team (pictured on right) found the most scallops with 42. Bart states, “My family and I had a great day on the water finding 42 scallops which was a record for us. I appreciate that the event was still able to take place in a safe way and am happy to support the mission of Tampa Bay Watch.” Tampa Bay Watch would like to share a special thanks to their sponsors SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program who supported the event.
Participate in Tampa Bay Watch’s DIY International Coastal Cleanup!
Do your own cleanup between the dates of September 19 – October 17. In honor of National Estuaries Week and Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting YOU to hit those places in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD where you’ve noticed sadly forgotten or misplaced trash. Your efforts will contribute to the worldwide initiative to combat marine debris, while raising awareness and highlighting the importance of the estuary right here in our own backyard, Tampa Bay! Tampa Bay Watch welcomes everyone in the Tampa Bay region to participate, as this will be a DIY “Do it yourself” cleanup between the dates of September 19 – October 17.
