2022 Great Bay Scallop Search boat registration

This event is no longer on sale.

Saturday August 20

9:00 AM  –  1:00 PM

Tampa Bay Watch, in partnership with Tampa Bay Estuary Program, is recruiting volunteers with shallow draft boats to participate in the Great Bay Scallop Search. If you have a kayak, canoe, gheenoe, or paddle board, please do not register in this category.
 
Each boat will be assigned a site within Boca Ciega or Lower Tampa Bay to snorkel for elusive bay scallops. This registration's meeting location is Fort De Soto Park's boat ramp where participants will receive survey equipment and instructions for the monitoring event at the 9 AM captain's meeting. We'll treat you to a free lunch and a t-shirt upon your return to the boat ramp as results are tallied.
 
The Scallop Search has been conducted annually since 1993 and the goal is to monitor and document the health and status of the bay scallop population. At each site, a weighted transect line of 50 meters in length is laid along seagrass beds. Snorkelers count scallops along each side of the transect line, within one meter of each side, creating a 100 square meter survey area.
 
There are always volunteers without boats who would like to participate in the event, so please let us know in your registration if you could accomodate any additional volunteer snorkelers. 
 
Family and friends who will be on your boat do not need to register separately as a volunteer snorkelers.
 
Sign up fast for this popular event and help us tally up the bay scallop population in Tampa Bay! 
 
The number that you enter below indicates the total number of boats in your party. Thank you!