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| What
is SAV?
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) describes all rooted plants
that grow in our fresh and marine waters. SAV is rooted into the
bottom sediments and, for the most part, is found underneath the
water.
SAV occurs
on rocky to soft bottom habitats from intertidal areas to depths
of 40 meters (120 feet) in all U.S. coastal states except for
Georgia and South Carolina where high turbidity and tidal amplitude
inhibit growth. SAV is found either as beds of continuous cover
or in patches, both of which provide vital habitat and ecological
functions. SAV beds change location over time. Often coverage
changes from year to year which is why regular monitoring and
mapping is critical.
There are
many different kinds of SAV along the Atlantic coast depending
on the local water conditions. SAV is the common eelgrass found
along our coasts from Maine to North Carolina, as well as the
turtle and manatee grasses typically found in Florida. Widgeon
grass occurs in many states from fresh water to high salinity
areas. In total, SAV includes six species of marine seagrasses
as well as 20-30 other plant species found in tidal freshwater
and low salinity areas along our coasts.
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Drawing
courtesy of Florida Fish and Willdife Conservation Commission,
Tallahasee, Florida.
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Why
do fish need SAV?
SAV plays a vital role in the life histories of many fish including
some of our most valuable commercial and recreational fish species
such as striped bass, bluefish, black sea bass, and tautog.
- SAV provides
food and shelter for both fish and their prey.
- SAV cycles
oxygen and nutrients through the system.
- SAV stabilizes
bottom sediments.
- Decaying
SAV creates detritus, essential food for other organisms in
the ocean food web on which fish depend.
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Drawing courtesy
of Florida Fish and Willdife Conservation Commission, Tallahasee,
Florida.
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What does SAV need to thrive
in our waters?
SAV needs sufficient sunlight to grow. That
is why SAV grows in clear, shallow water. Excess nutrients promoting
algal growth, increased sedimentation, or shading can all prevent
SAV from getting the needed amount of light.
SAV
is found in more protected areas. Areas with too much turbidity
or tidal flux are not suitable for SAV. SAV needs the proper
amount of nutrients. Excessive
nutrients are not beneficial to these plants and can destroy
vegetation.
SAV
is found in more protected areas. Areas with too much turbidity
or tidal flux are not suitable for SAV. SAV needs the proper
amount of nutrients. Excessive nutrients are not beneficial
to these plants and can destroy vegetation.
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| What
is damaging SAV?
Currently SAV areas along the Atlantic coast are declining. There
are several different reasons why this is happening, including
water pollution from runoff, shading and dredging. In addition,
fishing and boating have specific impacts on SAV.
Fishing
Gear
Impacts to SAV from fishing gear are primarily due to mechanical
damage from bottom-disturbing fish harvesting techniques. There
are many ways SAV can be damaged including leaf shearing, crushing,
uprooting, as well as burial. Towed fishing gears such as shellfish
dredges and otter trawls have been documented to shear the leaves
and cause root damage. Fixed fishing gear may also cause damage
if the gear is placed in the same place for a long period of time. |
Drawing courtesy of Mark Fonseca, NOAA, National Ocean Service,
Beaufort, North Carolina
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Boating
Both boats and jetskis operating in shallow water can impact SAV.
Propellers and anchoring chains can directly damage SAV by shearing
the leaves or digging up the plants. Wakes from boats can increase
turbidity in shallow waters.
In addition,
discharge of waste from boats degrades water quality, which in
turn impacts SAV. |
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Drawing
courtesy of Florida Fish and Willdife Conservation Commission,
Tallahassee, Florida. |
What
can fishermen and boaters do to protect SAV?
- Educate
yourself about where SAV beds are located. Maps outlining SAV
areas may be available from state coastal zone and fishery agencies,
and sometimes from local towns.
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Wherever possible, steer clear of SAV beds when in a boat. If
you are around SAV beds, go slowly to avoid stirring up sediments.
- Be
aware of low tide and stay in designated channels.
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In
SAV beds, avoid using gear which can uproot SAV.
Always use pump out stations to get rid
of waste. Don’t discharge waste into the water.
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Inform others about the importance of SAV to our fishery resources
and explain how they can help protect it.
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Support and participate in activities such as marking SAV beds,
replanting SAV, and mapping SAV beds.
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What
is the ASMFC doing to Protect SAV?
Diverse regional management strategies and human activities have
reduced local and regional SAV abundance and resulted in impacts
to fisheries. Recognizing these threats and the important role of
SAV in the life history of many Commission managed species, the
ASMFC adopted a SAV
Policy. The Policy is intended to provide guidance in the protection
and enhancement of SAV by state, federal, local, and cooperative
programs that influence and regulate fish habitat.
The Policy is based on a collection of review
papers that investigated the ecological value of SAV, its importance
to Commission managed species, human impacts to SAV, and its regulation
by state agencies. These papers were published in the volume Atlantic
Coastal Submerged Aquatic Vegetation: A Review of its Ecological
Role, Anthropogenic Impacts State Regulation, and Value to Atlantic
Coastal Fish Stocks (April 1997).
The SAV Policy establishes recommendations for
protection and conservation of SAV by emphasizing assessment of
SAV resources, protection of existing SAV, SAV restoration, public
education, and scientific research. As directed in the SAV Policy,
the Commission developed a document titled Evaluate
Fishing Gear Impacts to Submerged Aquatic Vegetation and Determining
Mitigation Strategies(July 2000). The ASMFC has also developed
a brochure about what boaters and fishermen can do to protect
SAV.
Finally,
many of the Atlantic coast states have compiled SAV reports. These
State SAV Conservation Plans consist of five main components including
(1) public education, (2) identification of SAV areas, (3) identification
of gear within the state which interacts with SAV, (4) the steps
which are being taken to address interactions of this gear with
the identified SAV areas, and (5) recommendations for the ASMFC.
For each component (except the final one), the states identify
what their state is presently doing in that category and how they
intend to improve over the next three years if improvement is
needed. The following states have submitted plans: Rhode Island,
New York, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and Florida.
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Contacts
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State
SAV Conservation Plans |
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