Coastal Georgia ecosystem report card, 2016.

Coastal Georgia
2016 Ecosystem
Report Card

DNR/CRD

health
Moderately good health in 2016

Index

Fis

T. Keyes
Human Health

heries Index

Coastal Georgia monitoring programs assess oyster reefs (top), wood stork productivity (middle), and sea turtle hatching (bottom).

A. Mackinnon

B

Scoring Legend

Wildlife Index

80100% good 60<80% moderately good 40<60% moderate 20<40% poor 0<20% very poor

Coastal Georgia received a B+, 76%, a moderately good
score. Three indices covering 11 indicators including human health, fisheries, and wildlife data make up the grade for coastal Georgia. Scores ranged from 100% for sea turtle nesting trends to 12% for right whale population trends.

The human health index scored a 93%, or A, in 2016. Overall, human health
B indicators are good, meaning that it is generally safe to swim and eat local shellfish. Data on fish consumption advisories was insufficient for use in the report this year.

The fisheries index scored a 81%, or A-, in 2016. Overall, fisheries indicators are good, which means that sustainable fishing practices are used and that the coastal environment is able to support most commercial and recreational species. The blue crab indicator fared poorly in 2016 with a score of 47%.

The wildlife index scored a 53%, or C, in 2016. Overall, wildlife indicators are moderate. Woodstork and sea turtle populations are being maintained. American oystercatcher numbers declined due to higher tides during nesting season and raccoon depredation. Right whale population and right whale calving also declined.

Indicators

fecal coliform 92%

enterococcus 94%

shrimp 97%

red drum 100%

blue crabs 47%

methods

Analyzing data & calculating scores

Environmental report cards are used by resource managers to assess and report on the ecosystem health of a region. Developing rigorous, quantitative assessments provides an accountability that is increasingly beneficial to support environmental protection efforts. A five-step process is used to develop report cards: 1) conceptualize, 2) choose indicators, 3) define thresholds, 4) calculate scores, and 5) communicate results.
This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of health in coastal Georgia. Coastal Georgia health in 2016 is defined as the progress of two human health indicators (enterococcus and fecal coliform), three fisheries indicators (red drum, blue crabs, and shrimp), and six wildlife indicators (wood storks, American oystercatchers, sea turtle hatching, sea turtle nesting, right whale calves, and right whale population growth rate) toward scientifically-derived thresholds or goals. Each of these groups of indicators are averaged into indices; the human health, fisheries, and wildlife indices. The three indices are combined into the Coastal Georgia Ecological Health Score.
Preliminary analysis of water quality indicators was conducted during development of this report card. Although there are thresholds for water quality indicators through EPA's National Coastal Condition Assessment, they do not adequately apply to the unique conditions in coastal Georgia (see highlights page).
For detailed information on indicators, thresholds, and methodology visit CoastalGaDNR.org/ReportCard.

1

2

Create a framework defining key goals, values, and threats.
3

Select indicators that convey meaningful information.
4

Define reporting regions and method of threshold attainment.
5

Calculate indicator scores and combine into index grades.

Communicate results using visual elements, such as photos, maps, and conceptual diagrams.

Grading scale for the indicators

The report card grading scale is a little different from the grading scale you saw in school. We use a 20-point scale to score

the indicators, instead of the 10-point scale. Using a 20-point scale for environmental report cards is widely accepted as the

best way to communicate health of an ecosystem. By using a scale that is equally divided, small changes in indicators can

be more easily seen over time.

F

80100%
All human health, fisheries, and wildlife indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be very good, most often leading to preferred habitat conditions.

60<80%
Most human health, fisheries, and wildlife indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be good, often leading to acceptable habitat conditions.

40<60%
There is a mix of good and poor levels of human health, fisheries, and wildlife indicators. Indicators in these locations tend to be fair, leading to sufficient habitat conditions.

20<40%
Some or few human health, fisheries, and wildlife indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be poor, often leading to degraded habitat conditions.

0<20%
Very few or no human health, fisheries, and wildlife indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be very poor, most often leading to unacceptable habitat conditions.

American oystercatchers

30%

wood storks 62%

right whale calves

49%

right whale population 12%

sea turtle hatching 64%

sea turtle nesting

100%

features
Marshes, beaches, & estuaries

South Carolina
Savannah

Georgia

Ogeechee

Altamaha

Suwannee

Satilla

St. Mary's

Atlantic Ocean

Florida

0 10 20 Miles

Legend
Conservation Lands

Wetlands

Shore and Sea Bird Habitat

Sea Turtle Nesting Habitat

Shellfish Harvest Areas

0

10

20 Miles

0 10 20Miles

Coastal Georgia is dominated by marshes and wetlands, and provides habitat for birds, shellfish, and sea turtles.

Located in the center of the South Atlantic Bight, coastal Georgia is a region rich in history, beauty, and natural wonders. Georgia's coast is bound on the east by 14 barrier islands which buffer the mainland from the Atlantic Ocean. Most of these islands remain undeveloped and boast pristine beaches perfect for nesting sea turtles and shorebirds.
Five major freshwater rivers feed the Georgia coast, forming an extensive estuarine ecosystem. The 368,000 acres of saltmarsh provide essential nursery grounds for a diverse range of animals including fish, shrimp, oysters, and birds. Saltmarshes protect upland areas from the force of tides and serve as a natural filtration system for pollutants and nutrients that often enter waterways leading to the ocean.
Coastal Georgia's river system is woven together by hundreds of streams, brackish and freshwater marshes, bogs, and swamps that extend far inland. This network delivers vast amounts of freshwater to the coast and creates a range of habitats that support diverse wildlife.
Although relatively undeveloped, the coastal Georgia landscape is changing nonetheless. New residents are drawn by the region's natural beauty and abundance of recreational opportunities. Through a combination of wise management, stewardship, and collaboration, everything we love about coastal Georgia can be conserved for generations to come.

The importance of creating a report card

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency entrusted to manage Georgia's diverse coastal natural resources. DNR collects data through numerous inventory and monitoring activities conducted along the coast. This report card contains grades for various categories produced by comparing and contrasting data from monitoring activities with known standards and reference points. While this report card does not address every indicator or environmental issue facing the coast, it does provide the public with broad fact-based knowledge about the condition of Georgia's coastal resources.

Monitoring a marsh in coastal Georgia.

DNR/CRD

highlights
Water quality & dissolved oxygen
DNR monitors water quality throughout the coastal region. Dissolved oxygen (DO) is one important indicator used to quantify the health of a water body. Low DO is often a sign of degraded water quality. However, some areas in coastal Georgia, especially upriver blackwater creeks and coastal estuaries not fed by freshwater rivers, naturally experience low DO in warmer months without the expected negative effects of algal blooms, fish die-offs, and reduced species diversity observed elsewhere.
A preliminary analysis of DO data from 2016 was conducted for this report card using thresholds established by EPA's National Coastal Condition Assessment. Coastal Georgia's overall DO score is an 83%, or an A-.
Additional monitoring and research is underway by DNR to understand how changes in water quality affect these complex systems and to determine other appropriate indicators of coastal health.

Dissolved Oxygen gets an
Legend DO Score
80100% 60<80% 40<60% 20<40% 0<20% 0 10 20 Miles

DNR/CRD B. Maher

Dissolved Oxygen station scores in 2016(top). Water quality monitoring occurs throughout coastal Georgia (bottom).

Red drum numbers are up likely due to a successful 2015 spawn
Fisheries & blue crabs
Fisheries indicators in Georgia are important to analyze as they constitute a huge resource along the coast. While shrimp remained near the long-term average in 2016 (scoring 97%), red drum were above average (100%), improving well above both 2015 and 2014 (2015: 69%, 2014: 83%). Unfortunately, the blue crab spawning stock estimates fell compared to 2015 (2016: 46%, 2015: 62%).
Blue crab abundance has been unstable since the early 2000's with short periods of high abundance often followed by prolonged periods of below average abundance. Most below average periods are associated with drought conditions.
The red drum spawned in 2015 showed strong recruitment and the 2016 numbers for young-of-the-year were higher than the past two years.

W. Hughes

Although blue crabs declined again in 2016, the decline is likely due to lower than normal fresh water in-flow.

trends
Looking at three years of data

fecal coliform

2014 2015 2016

92%

92%

92%

enterococcus

82%

91%

94%

shrimp

100% 100%

97%

Coast-wide productivity for American Oystercatchers was low due to the fact that several banded birds were not confirmed to have fledged. This was caused by a combination of issues including high tides during the nesting season and raccoon depredation.

red drum

83%

69% 100%

blue crabs

22%

62%

47%

American oystercatchers

46%

61%

30%

wood storks

67%

70%

62%

right whale calves
right whale population

57%

57%

49%

66%

66% *12%

sea turtle hatching
sea turtle nesting

77%

68%

64%

100% 100% 100%

Right whale #2790 at the surface with her calf, 12 miles east of Blackbeard Island, GA. This is 2790's fourth known calf. Credit: Photo by Sea to Shore Alliance, taken under NOAA research permit #15488.

*North Atlantic right whale photo-identification data are collected by numerous organizations along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. and Canada, and are analyzed annually by scientists at the National Marine Fisheries Service. In 2016 the NMFS changed the survey methodology to better estimate survival rates and population size, which changed the grading calculation.

looking forward
Programs, plans and funding

N ATIO N AL O CEA ERCE

ADM IN ISTR ATIO N U .S.D

These programs are made possible through funding provided, in part, by the following federal grants:

NIC AND ATM O SPHERIC EPARTM EN T O F C O M M

Georgia Coastal Management Program Grants Provides technical assistance to 11 coastal counties to support sustainable environmentally
sensitive economic growth Disburses $850,000, annually, in Coastal Incentive Grants Administers the Shellfish Program for commercial and recreational harvest of shellfish Reviews federal projects to ensure they do not conflict with the best interests of the State of Georgia
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Grants Coordinates the management of coastal fish species Supports data collection of numerous coastal fishes for management purposes
Interjurisdictional Marine Fisheries Grants Gathers information and conducts activities to support management of U.S. multi-jurisdictional fisheries Supports shrimp and crab management through state and regional fishery management plans
NOAA Species Recovery Grants Authority to States pursuant to Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Supports programs to recover federally listed species
Sport Fish Restoration Grants Derived from federal excise taxes paid by the outdoor fishing and boating industry Supports fisheries research, boating access, and outreach and education Supports vessel pump-out monitoring at local marinas
State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Provides federal funds to states for developing and implementing programs that benefit wildlife and their habitats, including species not hunted or fished Provides funds for research, survey, and management programs for proactive conservation of high priority species and habitats identified in the State Wildlife Action Plan
Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Provides funding for listed species and habitat conservation actions on non-Federal lands Supports the States' ability to recover those federally listed and candidate species under USFWS authority (e.g., wood stork, American oystercatcher)
Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Grants Protects public health by monitoring beach water quality Collaborates with the Public Health Departments and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to resolve chronic issues Informs citizens of the risk of swimming in waters with elevated bacteria - GaHealthyBeaches.org
Wetland Program Development Grants Monitors the health of coastal marshland plant communities and tidal waters Supports wetland restoration efforts of the Department Supports project development on federal, state, and local levels

involvement
You can help protect Georgia's coastal resources

How you can help
Install a rain barrel for your home to collect water for irrigation
Inspect and pump out your septic system every 3-5 years
Abide by all beach lighting rules and ordinances during sea turtle nesting and hatching season
Know your recreational fishing catch and size limits
Buy a Georgia hunting or fishing license
Pick up after your pets
Participate in monitoring and clean-up activities in local waterways

Benefits
Conserves water which is essential for healthy productive estuaries.
Functioning septic systems keep bacteria from entering waterways, which in turn can help reduce beach advisories and shellfish harvest closures.
Hatchling sea turtles can become easily disoriented and fail to crawl to the water if our homes and flashlights illuminate the beach.
These limits help sustain a healthy population of fish species.
License fees support research and conservation of coastal species and habitats.
Fecal bacteria from pet waste can wash into creeks and rivers, resulting in beach swimming advisories or shellfish harvest closures.
Citizen data can alert resource managers to potential issues. Visit AdoptaStream.Georgia.gov and RiversAlive.Georgia.gov.

activities
Georgia DNR sustains, protects, & conserves the coast
The mission of the Department of Natural Resources is to sustain, enhance, protect, and conserve Georgia's natural, historic, and cultural resources for present and future generations, while recognizing the importance of promoting the development of commerce and industry that utilize sound environmental practices. Along Georgia's coast, several Divisions of DNR work collaboratively, including the Coastal Resources Division (CoastalGaDNR.org), Wildlife Resources Division (GeorgiaWildlife.org), and Environmental Protection Division (EPD.Georgia.gov). Together they manage the region's unique natural resources for wildlife habitat, as well as recreational and commercial uses by the citizens of Georgia.
Acknowledgements
The first report card was produced by the Integration & Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and Georgia DNR and published in April 2015. Data were collected by Georgia DNR's Coastal Resources Division, Wildlife Resources Division, and Environmental Protection Division. This current version provides an assessment for 2016. The report card project was funded by grant award # NA15NOS4190160 from the Office for Coastal Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The statements, findings, and conclusions do not necessarily reflect the views of OCM or NOAA.
Workshop participants in December 2014 who helped produce this report card.

CoastalGaDNR.org