December 2025 Newsletter
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HIGHLIGHTS
Spotting Trouble Beneath the Surface:
How a Community Tip Sparked a Seagrass Investigation
On a brisk November morning, Dr. Abbey headed out across Anna Maria Sound with a volunteer and staff member after a troubling report came in: a once-thriving patch of seagrass appeared to be nothing but sand. The tip came from a local charter captain who noticed bare spots while navigating the area and reported them through Eyes on the Suncoast, our citizen pollution reporting program.
That single message set a full investigation in motion.
Suncoast Waterkeeper immediately connected with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, which conduct bi-annual seagrass surveys throughout our region. When seagrass declines, it’s rarely a small issue. These underwater meadows are vital habitat for marine life, a stabilizer of coastal ecosystems, and one of our clearest indicators of water quality. Florida has already seen what happens when seagrass disappears. In Indian River Lagoon, widespread loss contributed to a catastrophic manatee die-off. (Read more about this issue in the Tampa Bay Times Series Wasting Away.)
To better understand what was happening in Anna Maria Sound, we partnered with volunteers from Ringling College and conducted a targeted survey. Our team ran three 100-meter transects and used 1-meter quadrats to document seagrass coverage, species present, blade length, overall health, and macroalgae abundance.
The results showed a mixed picture. Since there was no baseline data, it is hard to put the findings into context. However, our follow-up investigation, which yielded 42 observations across the bay, showed clear signs of trouble. This survey revealed dense patches of macroalgae spanning large areas of the bottom. This is concerning because macroalgae can block the light that seagrass needs to survive. If macroalgae continues to expand, it could lead to further seagrass loss.
We are continuing to investigate the causes behind the bare patches and the hefty macroalgae growth. Our observations are being shared with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the appropriate local agencies as we work together to determine what may be driving these changes and future monitoring plans.
What’s already clear is that this investigation worked exactly as Eyes on the Suncoast was designed. A community member saw something unusual. They reported it. We gathered the data and alerted partners who can help address the issue.
Protecting our waterways depends on all of us. When residents speak up early, we can act quickly to safeguard the places we swim, fish, paddle, and love. If you see something, say something. And know that when you do, Suncoast Waterkeeper is ready to investigate and protect the health of our cherished waters.
REPORT POLLUTION HERE
Environmental Ambassadors Enter Their Third Year with New Momentum
“Third time’s the charm” feels fitting for the Environmental Ambassadors program, now entering its third and most ambitious year. With our largest cohort of students to date and many returning members, this year’s group is launching three student-led investigations focused on air quality, drinking water, and extreme heat at Booker High School.
Their motivation is grounded in both concern and experience. Last year, the school community lost a student to a potential extreme heat illness. Many students have long avoided drinking from school fountains altogether, saying the water tastes so bad that they use them only in emergencies. Instead, most carry heavy water bottles from home and try to make them last throughout the day.
To better understand what is going on, students are conducting drinking water tests at three fountains, using secondary drinking water standards to analyze taste and odor-related contaminants. In our first year, the team found that the water was technically safe to drink but contained more copper than water sampled at Sarasota High. Students have also noticed that the “change filter” indicator on several fountains has remained red for as long as they can remember. This year’s testing will help confirm whether filter replacement or other maintenance issues are contributing to the problem.
Air quality is also on their minds. Booker High is located across from concrete crushing operations, raising questions about what students may be exposed to during outdoor activities. To gather data, the Ambassadors have placed monitors at three locations around campus. After 24 hours, the filters will be sent to a lab for analysis of the particles present.
These concerns intersect with rising temperatures, creating a challenging environment marked by high heat, poor air quality, and limited access to safe drinking water.
The Ambassadors plan to present their findings to school leadership and advocate for practical changes, such as regular filter replacements, an extreme heat policy, and a permanent air-quality monitor on campus.
There is good news from our alumni as well. Annabelle, one of our first-year leaders, is now a college sophomore and recently received a Suncoast Waterkeeper scholarship to help bridge financial gaps. She is studying medicine and continues to apply the environmental leadership skills she gained in the program. We are proud to support her and all our students as they work toward a healthier future for their community.
Monitoring What Matters in 2025: A Recap of Our Water Quality Program
In 2025, we collected 552 water samples for our enterococci monitoring program! We have been monitoring 12 popular sites for fecal indicator bacteria called “enterococci” weekly from January to December. This monitoring program is at the heart of what we do to achieve our mission of fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waters. I, Pia, am in the field every week collecting samples from Sarasota Bay, Palma Sola Bay, the Braden River, and the Manatee River.
Our 2025 Swimmability Report Card illustrates the percentage of swimmable weeks, defined as enterococci results between 0 and 70 per 100 milliliters (mL) of tidal water. We use the Florida Department of Health’s Healthy Beaches Program standards to define our water quality categories; results of 71 or higher are considered unsafe for swimming. That is because at this level of water contact, epidemiological studies show that 32 out of every 10,000 swimmers are at risk of contracting a bacteria-related illness. To keep these swimmers safe, water quality below 71 per 100 mL is best.
Enterococci bacteria originate from several sources, and we recently adopted the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) potential pollution sources checklist to track bacterial inputs. Microbial source tracking (MST) tests were also conducted at several of our sites this year. MST uses DNA to determine fecal sources. These DNA results revealed that birds, dogs, and horses have all contributed at one time or another to the enterococci results. Aside from animals, enterococci enter our coastal waters through stormwater, sewage, and septic systems. And can build up reservoirs in plants and sand.
Each of our monitored sites has a unique set of pollution inputs. It is essential to perform a careful assessment at each site rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all mindset!
Our results once again show that the best time to swim in the bay waters is during the dry season, from late March through May. In a couple of weeks, we will have our entire dataset for the year 2025. We will publish an in-depth story map detailing our results and analyses, so stay tuned.
In 2026, we will evaluate contributing sources through a more robust research effort, partnering with Dr. Jody Harwood from the University of South Florida! Learn more about the Harwood Lab here: https://theharwoodlab.wixsite.com/usf-tampa/about
We are excited to build our monitoring program in the new year. Thank you to our incredible donors and members whose continued support makes this possible! We encourage you to stay posted on our website, Facebook, and Instagram pages for the latest results of our enterococci sampling, and most importantly, tell your family and friends on the Suncoast about our clean water mission!
STATE & NATIONAL WATER NEWS:
Together, We Can Make a Difference This Legislative Session
As the 2026 Florida Legislative Session begins, a wave of proposed legislation threatens to undermine local protections for the waters that define our communities and sustain our way of life. At the same time, several promising bills offer a blueprint for a more resilient future. Suncoast Waterkeeper, working in close collaboration with Waterkeeper’s Florida, is tracking each of these measures daily and preparing to mobilize you, our members and supporters, when public pressure can make the most difference.
Florida’s waterways are not just abstract environmental features; they are the lifeblood of our economy, our quality of life, and our identity. Yet several bills this session would weaken the role of local governments, which are the entities closest to the ground, most familiar with the needs of their watersheds, and historically the strongest defenders of clean water.
Bills Raising Red Flags
- HB 479: One of the most troubling proposals is HB 479, which thankfully doesn’t have a Senate companion. This bill would override local land and water management rules, preventing communities from implementing stronger water management protections even when local conditions require them. This broad preemption effectively tells cities and counties: “You’re not allowed to protect your own waters if state law sets a lower standard." At a time when the state’s failure to act on water quality issues has become common knowledge, as reported in the Wasting Away series by the Tampa Bay Times and witnessed in the increasing frequency of harmful algal blooms, malfunctioning wastewater systems, and worsening nutrient and bacterial pollution, excluding local communities from decision-making is a grave mistake.
- SB 208/HB 399: Another preemption bill that would prevent counties and municipalities from applying “compatibility” standards when reviewing new residential developments. Compatibility refers to how local governments protect wetlands, maintain buffers, prevent overburdening fragile waterways, and ensure that growth doesn’t overwhelm already stressed ecosystems.
- SB 588/HB105: Another concerning bill would restrict local enforcement efforts. By limiting when and how counties and municipalities can act to address violations, this bill makes it harder to address illegal discharges, wetland destruction, fertilizer misuse, and other environmental damage in real time. Florida’s environmental enforcement system is already overwhelmed; reducing local authority only widens those gaps.
Good News Bills Promoting Stronger Protections
- SB 546/HB441: This bill attempts to put a stop to the sale of conservation lands without a formal process that includes transparency, accountability, and fair-value appraisals. Specifically, the bill sets a process for how the state handles conservation lands (public lands held for preservation, environmental protection, and/or public benefit). Before a sale or exchange of such land, the responsible agencies must publish detailed information online to create transparency.
- SB 240/No House Companion: Another positive bill that, among other things, would remove the state’s rule that prevented local governments from passing ordinances over single-use plastics.
These bills show that meaningful, bipartisan progress is still possible. Our job is to ensure these stronger measures get the support they need while blocking harmful ones from becoming law.
This is where people power matters.
Suncoast Waterkeeper and Waterkeeper’s Florida are monitoring every committee assignment, amendment, and vote. We recently created this informational graphic to help you follow the bill as it moves through the legislative process.
When we identify moments where public involvement can swing the outcome, such as when a committee chair is undecided, when amendments weaken protections, or when a bill’s momentum can be slowed by constituent pressure, we will issue calls to action. These alerts are timed carefully: we don’t ask people to show up or speak out unless we know it can truly influence a decision.
In recent years, citizen advocacy has stopped harmful preemption bills, advanced clean-water reforms, and brought statewide attention to pollution crises that would have otherwise been ignored. We know these efforts work (there are no golf courses in state parks!). The Legislature listens when enough Floridians speak with a unified voice. Together, we can stop harmful legislation, support strong protections, and ensure that Florida’s waters remain swimmable, fishable, and drinkable for generations to come.
SUPPORT OUR ADVOCACY AND AMPLIFY YOUR VOICE
LOVE YOUR BAYS CONSCIOUSLY:
Protect the Waters Future Generations Will Depend On
Your retirement savings reflect a lifetime of hard work, commitment, and planning. By making a charitable gift to Suncoast Waterkeeper through your IRA, you can turn that dedication into a lasting legacy, one that ensures cleaner bays, healthier wildlife, and safer waterways for the people who will inherit our coast.
If you are 70½ or older, an IRA charitable gift is a simple and impactful way to support this work while also offering meaningful financial benefits.
What your IRA gift can do:
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Allow you to transfer up to $108,000 directly from your IRA to Suncoast Waterkeeper without paying taxes
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Count toward your required minimum distribution (RMD)
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Potentially lower your taxable income, even if you don’t itemize
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Enable you to make a significant gift without deduction limits
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Strengthen water quality protections and community advocacy that future generations will rely on
Your gift today becomes part of the story we leave behind: clearer water, resilient coastlines, and a community that can swim, fish, and explore without fear.
If you’d like to discuss how an IRA charitable gift works or how it can support long-term water protection, contact Shelby Isaacson at [email protected].
Thank you for considering a legacy that keeps our waters healthy for decades to come.
Brunch for the Bay 2025: Connecting Community, Driving Change
We are so grateful to our sponsors, members, and friends who joined us in celebrating another successful Brunch for the Bay. We were especially honored to have the support of Sarasota Yacht Club member sponsors Bill and Debbie Partridge, who also made the space beautiful with their stunning flower arrangements.
A special thank-you to Rob Bilott for his powerful keynote, reminding us what’s possible when communities refuse to look the other way. His story of uncovering the PFAS crisis proves that progress begins when people speak up, ask questions, and take action to protect their own communities.
That same spirit drives our work here on the Suncoast. We’re leading local PFAS testing to uncover what’s really in our water and holding polluters accountable. This is science in action, and your support makes it possible.
But the work doesn’t end here. With your help, we can continue building a future where our waterways are fishable, swimmable, and drinkable. Every membership, donation, and shared story strengthens our fight for clean water and a healthier coast.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
BAY PROTECTORS
CLEAN WATER WARRIORS
Beachside Management
Patricia H. Moore
Sleuth Inc
Introducing Our New Development & Volunteer Coordinator!
Suncoast Waterkeeper is thrilled to announce the appointment of our new Development & Volunteer Coordinator, Shelby Isaacson. Shelby is a corporate storyteller with over 15 years of experience, with an expansive portfolio that includes non-profits, large and small, such as Mote Marine Laboratory, as well as for-profit businesses like Dakota Biotech. Her passion for water comes from growing up in Oregon along the Columbia River and supporting her husband in his career in environmental remediation. Shelby moved to the Suncoast 20 years ago to have an adventure, but she never left. She now spends her days growing the Suncoast Waterkeeper community, cheering on her daughter at regattas, reading a book on the beach while watching her son skimboard, or playing with her chickens in her backyard.
Interested in partnering or volunteering with Suncoast Waterkeeper? Email Shelby at [email protected].
To get involved, send an email to [email protected]
Like we are doing? Join our clean water mission!
https://www.suncoastwaterkeeper.org/
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