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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA <br />BOARD MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Jason E. Brown, <br />County Administrator <br />THROUGH: Richard B. Szpyrka, P.E., <br />Public Works Director <br />THROUGH: James D. Gray, Jr. M.S., <br />Natural Resources Manager <br />FROM: Kendra Cope, M.S., <br />Coastal Environmental Specialist <br />SUBJECT: Work Order No. 1 Ecological Associates, Inc. <br />HCP Sea Turtle Monitoring North County <br />DATE: February 9, 2018 <br />DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS <br />On October 10, 2017 the Board approved a continuing services contract with Ecological <br />Associates Inc., (EAI) for environmental and biological support services for a two year term, <br />through October 10, 2019. EAI is the selected consultant for professional environmental services <br />related to the County sea turtle Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). <br />The HCP requires the County to coordinate continuous sea turtle nest monitoring with local <br />stakeholders and/or property managers annually from March 1— October 31. <br />The proposed Work Order No. 1 provides biological monitoring services relative to sea turtle nest <br />monitoring and reporting along 3.5 miles of shoreline from Sebastian Inlet to the southern <br />Ambersand beaches. Since 2003, this shoreline has been monitored by the County or the <br />Sebastian Inlet District as a result of beach nourishment permitting requirements. 2018 <br />represents a "gap year" in permit required sea turtle monitoring since a beach nourishment <br />project has not occurred within this area of shoreline. However sea turtle monitoring as required <br />under the County's HCP, will still need to be completed to prevent interruptions in the County's <br />long-term data collection effort and to remain in compliance with the HCP Incidental Take Permit. <br />Staff met with local stakeholders from the Sebastian Inlet State Park (SISP) and the Archie Carr <br />National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR), to create a plan to avoid a gap in the 2018 sea turtle <br />monitoring and violation of the Incidental Take Permit. This plan includes Park and Refuge staff <br />conducting surveys three days a week with EAI conducting the surveys the remaining four days. <br />EAI will also complete all nest evaluations and provide monitoring results to the County and State. <br />County staff will coordinate all monitoring efforts. <br />C:\Users\legistar\AppData\Local\Temp\BCL Technologies\easyPDF 115 <br />8\@BCL@FCOD3CB 1 \@BCL@FCOD3CB l .docx <br />