San Antonio Bay Partnership Inc

THE MISSION OF THE SAN ANTONIO BAY PARTNERSHIP IS TO PROTECT, RESTORE AND ENHANCE THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE SAN ANTONIO BAY/GUADALUPE ESTUARY SYSTEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ECOSYSTEM AND ITS HUMAN USES.

SABP ORGANIZED AND LED THE ABANDONED CRAB TRAP REMOVAL EFFORT ALONG THE MID-TEXAS COAST DURING THE TPWD CLOSURE PERIOD IN FEBRUARY 2021. A COMBINED 148 VOLUNTEERS AND 60 BOATS REMOVED 1,203 ABANDONED TRAPS. THESE TRAPS ARE NAVIGATION HAZARDS AND CAN "GHOST FISH" BY ENTRAPPING AND KILLING CRABS, FISH, AND TURTLES.IN ADDITION TO TRAP REMOVAL THE VOLUNTEERS COLLECTED DATA ABOUT EACH TRAP USING A SMART PHONE APPLICATION. THE DATA WILL BE USED TO ASSESS THE ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE TRAPS AND DETERMINE THE REASONS FOR THEIR ABANDONMENTS. RESULTS WILL BE USED TO ENGAGE COMMERCIAL CRABBERS IN CONSTRUCTIVE, TWO-WAY CONVERSATIONS THAT SEEK TO IDENTIFY ROOT CAUSES OF DERELICTION AND DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES FOR REDUCING THE NUMBER OF LOST TRAPS, ULTIMATLEY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF GHOST FISHING AND ECONOMIC LOSSES.

AS PART OF ITS "WATER FOR WILDLIFE INITIATIVE", SABP CONTINUED TO MONITOR AND ENHANCE WATER WELLS INSTALLED IN AND AROUND THE ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, THE WINTER HOME OF THE LAST WILD, MIGRATORY FLOCK OF ENDANGERED WHOOPING CRANES. THESE WATER WELLS REDUCE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL, ENERGY-CONSUMING FLIGHTS BY THE CRANES SEEKING SUITABLE WATER SOURCES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE ALL-TO-FREQUENT DROUGHT PERIODS. DURING 2021 SABP INSTALLED AN ADDITIONAL NEW WATER WELL AND EXCAVATED THE SURROUNDING DRINKING POND.SABP ALSO UNDERTOOK A PROJECT TO DEVELOP BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR MAINTAINING VEGATIVE COVER AROUND THE WATER WELLS AND PONDS TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND ENCOURAGE THE USE BY WHOOPING CRANES.

THE ANNUAL ESTUARY EDUCATION WEEK WAS HELD TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FROM SELECTED SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE SAN ANTONIO AND MATAGORDA BAY WATERSHEDS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TEXAS FLOATING CLASSROOM. THE MARINE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR K-12 STUDENTS INCLUDED A 90 MINUTE TRIP ABOARD THE R/V ARCHIMEDES, ONSHORE ACTIVITIES SUPPLEMENTAL TO LESSONS TAUGHT DURING THE BOAT TRIP, AND THE TRAVELING BAY TOUCH TANK BROUGHT TO SCHOOLS AND EVENTS. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF THE ECOLOGY OF THESE BAY SYSTEMS AND TO HELP THEM RECOGNIZE THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN THE CONSERVATION OF OUR COASTAL RESOURCES.