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PROPOSED AQUATIC PRESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN <br />Art Challacombe, Chief of Environmental Planning presented <br />the following staff recommendation for adoption of the proposed <br />Aquatic Preserve Management Plan: <br />TO: The Honorable Members DATE: September 30, 1985 FILE: <br />of the Board of County <br />Commissioners <br />DIVISION HEAD CONCURRENCE: PROPOSED INDIAN RIVER <br />SUBJECT: - MALABAR TO VERO BEACH <br />AQUATIC PRESERVE MANAGE- <br />MENT PLAN <br />'Robert M. Keatin , AI9pr <br />Planning & DeveldpmenV Director <br />FROM: Art Challacombe REFERENCES: IR Malabar <br />Chief, Environmental Planning DIS:IBMIRD <br />It is requested that the data herein presented be given formal <br />consideration by the Board of County Commissioners at their <br />regular meeting on October 9, 1985. <br />DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS: <br />The Indian River--Malabar-to Vero Beach Aquatic Preserve is <br />part of the Indian River Lagoon; a shallow lagoonal estuary. <br />The lagoon is bounded on the east by Orchid Island and on the <br />west by the mainland. Sebastian Inlet is the only opening to <br />the ocean in this area. The preserve supports important <br />commercial fisheries, especially the hard clam and oyster <br />industries and is important for recreational activities -as <br />well. The preserve is designated and managed as a wilderness <br />preserve. <br />The estuary is an important home and nursery area for an <br />extensive array of fish and wildlife. The major problems in <br />the continued health of this area include the construction of <br />major drainage networks that- .have increased the fresh water <br />flow into the estuary, the loss of wetland areas and water <br />quality degradation associated with agricultural drainage and <br />urban runoff. Additionally., the Intracoastal Waterway and the <br />maintenance of Sebastian Inlet have changed the historical <br />flushing and circulation within the lagoon system. <br />The major objectives of the Florida aquatic preserve management <br />program are to. manage the preserve to ensure the maintenance of <br />an essentially natural condition, and to restore and enhance <br />those conditions which are not in a natural condition. Manage- <br />ment will also be directed to ensure public recreational <br />opportunities while assuring the continued propagation of fish <br />and wildlife. This task will be guided by the identification <br />and mapping of natural resources and habitats necessary to meet <br />these objectives. An additional management objective is the <br />review and comment on applications for the use of state-owned <br />submerged lands. This will require, in a fully implemented <br />management program; the onsite investigation of these proposed <br />uses by field personnel assigned to the aquatic preserve. <br />27 <br />801Y 62 'PAE3 <br />J <br />