Coastal Georgia B+
Ecosystem Report Card 2020

Moderately good ecosystem health
Overall health
Overall, Coastal Georgia received a B+, a moderately good score (77%). The highest scoring indicators were blue crab, spotted seatrout, and sea turtle nesting, and all had perfect scores (100%). This year's report card makes some changes in the indicators used to grade the ecosystem's overall health. These changes removed right whales as an indicator species and added spotted seatrout and bald eagles. The changes reflect a more holistic
approach to the report card with the goal of more accurately reflecting the overall health of coastal Georgia. You can learn more about these changes and why they were made further inside this report card.

Sea Turt s Index

lity Index Bird I

le Index Water Qua

B+

ndex

Fisherie

Scoring Legend A >80-100% good B >60-<80% moderately good C >40-<60% moderate D >20-<40% poor F 0-<20% very poor

Grading scale

A 80100%
All water quality, fisheries, bird, and sea turtle indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be very good, most often leading to preferred habitat conditions.

B 60<80% Most water quality, fisheries, bird, and sea turtle indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be good, often leading to acceptable habitat conditions.

C 40<60%
There is a mix of good and poor levels of water quality, fisheries, bird, and sea turtle indicators. Indicators in these locations tend to be fair, leading to sufficient habitat conditions.

D 20<40%
Few water quality, fisheries, bird, and sea turtle indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be poor, often leading to degraded habitat conditions.

F 0<20% Very few or no water quality, fisheries, bird, and sea turtle indicators meet desired levels. Indicators in these locations tend to be very poor, most often leading to unacceptable habitat conditions.

90%
fecal coliform

72%
enterococcus

90%
dissolved oxygen

92%
shrimp

40%
red drum

100%
blue crabs

Indexes highlights

Fisheries index

The fisheries index scored 83%, an A-, in 2020. Overall, fisheries
indicators are good, which

A-

means that sustainable fishing

practices are used, and the

coastal environment is able to support most

commercial and recreational species. Blue

crab, spotted seatrout, and shrimp all had

good scores. Red drum had a moderate score

of 40%. While the reason for this is still being

studied, population changes like this may be

due to environmental factors such as salinity

or temperature.

Water quality index

The water quality index scored 84%, an A-, in 2020.
Overall, water quality indicators

A-

are good, meaning that it is

generally safe to swim and

to eat local shellfish, and that there are

oxygen levels that support fish and other

species. Dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform

had good scores, and enterococcus had a

moderately good score.

A spotted seatrout caught by recreational fisherman Mike Smith. Recreational fishing licenses can be
purchased at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com. Provided photo.

Bird index

The bird index scored 61%, a B-, in 2020. Overall, bird
indicators are moderately good.

B-

American oystercatchers had a

moderately good score. Bald

eagles and wood storks had moderate scores.

The lower wood stork score was most likely

due to repeated storms affecting one colony

right as they were establishing their nests

and in the early egg-laying stage. Overall,

wood stork populations are being maintained,

American oystercatcher nesting is healthy, and

bald eagle nest success is moderate.

Sea turtle index

The sea turtle index scored a 80%, an A-, in 2020. Overall,
sea turtle indicators are good.

A-

Sea turtle nesting is good,

while sea turtle hatching is

moderately good. Sea turtle management

is promoting populations and maintaining

excellent nesting.

Sea turtle nesting season is May to mid-August, and females typically nest on the same beach annually. DNR photo by Adam Mackinnon.

100%
spotted seatrout

66%
American oystercatchers

59%
wood storks

57%
bald eagles

60%
sea turtle hatching

100%
sea turtle nesting

New indicators and methods for 2020

For the past five years, two human health indicators, three fisheries indicators, and six wildlife indicators have been averaged into three indices and then averaged into an overall Coastal Georgia ecosystem health score. In 2020, the values and threats to Coastal Georgia were revisited and the importance and relevance of indicators was reviewed. This led to the addition of three new indicators: dissolved oxygen, bald eagles, and spotted seatrout. The two indicators covering right whales (population and calves) were removed from the report card scoring.

While the right whale is an important species, its population viability is influenced by much more than the time they spend in Georgia waters. The indicators were reorganized into four indices: water quality, fisheries, birds, and sea turtles. Despite the change in methodology, the scores from 2014 to 2019 were recalculated and showed similar results as past report cards.

Report card scores from 20142020

In Coastal Georgia, report card scores vary from year-to-year. By tracking health over time, we can evaluate changes in the environment and prioritize management and restoration. For example, DNR actively manages wood stork and American oystercatcher populations by habitat creation, predator management and nesting area closures to prevent disturbances.

Coastal Georgia Scores 20142020
100

90

80

70

Score (%)

60

50

40 30

Overall Health Score Water Quality Index Fisheries Index

20

Bird Index

10

Sea Turtle Index

0 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Year

Conditions in Coastal Georgia have been relatively

good over the last seven years.

Indicator 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 fecal coliform 92% 92% 92% 80% 90% 98% 90%

enterococcus 82% 91% 94% 94% 96% 78% 72%

dissolved oxygen

79%

85%

87%

84%

84%

87%

90%

shrimp 100% 100% 96% 84% 84% 75% 92%

red drum 83% 69% 100% 100% 91% 100% 40%

blue crabs 22% 62% 47% 100% 100% 100% 100%

spotted seatrout

99% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

American oystercatchers

47%

61%

28%

13%

78%

78%

66%

wood storks 67% 70% 64% 84% 81% 78% 59%

bald eagles NA 66% 46% 57% 62% 51% 57%

sea turtle hatching

77%

69%

64%

47%

44%

64%

60%

sea turtle nesting

100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

Importance of a report card
Environmental report cards are powerful tools used around the world to describe ecosystem status, increase public awareness, and inform and influence decision makers to act to improve the health of a watershed. Developing rigorous, quantitative assessments provides accountability that is beneficial to support environmental protection efforts. A five-step process is used to develop report cards.

THE REPORT CARD PROCESS

11 22 33 THE CONCEPTUALIZE CONCEPTUALIZE

REPORTCHCOARODSEPROCESS DEFINE

INCDHICOAOTSOERS

THRDEESFHINOELDS

INDICATORS

THRESHOLDS

44 CALCULATE CASLCCOURLEASTE SCORES

55 COMMUNICATE COMMUNICATE

Coastal Georgia is a gem of biodiversity and natural wonders

Marshes, wetlands, and barrier islands make up the diverse habitats of Coastal Georgia. The region is rich in abundant wildlife like sea turtles, fishes, shellfish, birds, and mammals. Recreational opportunities abound, such as boating, fishing, bird watching, kayaking, and swimming. Protecting the ecosystems and their inhabitants helps support not only recreational opportunities, but also the local economy, seafood industry and tourism.

Coastal wetlands, like salt marshes, filter pollutants as water runs downstream, which improves water quality for species in the estuary, like marine mammals. DNR photo.

Maintaining a healthy coastal ecosystem is an important way to support recreational uses, such as kayaking, and commercial uses, like fishing and ecotourism. DNR photos.

Report card highlights in 2020
Wood stork
Wood storks received a moderate score of 59% in 2020. While populations fluctuate annually, environmental factors such as food and habitat availability throughout their range can influence their success.

Wood storks are an important indicator species because they depend on varying wetland types to successfully nest and raise young. DNR photo by Tim Keyes.

Spotted seatrout
Spotted seatrout received a good score of 100% in 2020. This indicator was added in 2020 to help give a more holistic view of fisheries health in coastal Georgia. Seatrout are a relevant indicator because they spend a majority of their lifecycle in multiple habitats within Georgia estuaries.

Bald eagles are a new indicator in 2020

Bald eagle productivity on the coast was above average in 2020. No new occupied nest territories were discovered, and no nests were lost to storm damage. Some pairs built new nests within existing territories or rebuilt nests previously lost. The percentage of dead and dying nest trees on barrier islands is increasing, likely from saltwater damage caused by tropical storms and hurricanes in recent years. Coordinating with landowners and developers helps prevent disturbance-related nest failures or abandonment. Eagles hit by cars while feeding on roadside carrion continues to be a leading cause of mortality for the species.

Bald eagles are an important species in coastal Georgia.
Wikimedia Commons photo by Martin Falbisoner.

You can help protect the coast

Septic maintenance
Maintaining your septic system prevents bacteria from entering waterways and can help reduce beach advisories and shellfish harvest closures.

Lighting rules
Preventing sea turtles from becoming disoriented by artificial light is the law, and beach lighting ordinances occur during nesting and hatching seasons.

No litter
Taking trash with you after visiting recreation areas will help keep waterways and parks free of debris that could harm wildlife.

Purchase licenses
Buying a Georgia hunting or fishing license supports research and conservation of coastal species and habitats.

Catch limits
Following recreational fishing catch-and-size regulations help sustain a healthy community of fish species.

Citizen science
Participating in monitoring and clean-up activities in local waterways can help alert managers to potential issues.

Acknowledgments
This report card was produced by the Integration & Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and Georgia DNR and published in April 2021. Data were collected by Georgia DNR's Coastal Resources Division and Wildlife Resources Division. This report card provides an assessment of coastal Georgia ecosystem health for 2020. This report card was funded by grant award # NA20N0S4190175 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. All photos from Georgia DNR's Coastal Resources Division, unless otherwise specified. For detailed information on indicators, thresholds, and methodology visit CoastalGaDNR.org/ReportCard. Cover photo provided by DNR.
Visit CoastalGaDNR.org to learn more.

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