National Estuaries Week is Sept. 17-24. How will you celebrate?

Join the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program as it celebrates National Estuaries Week 2022! Throughout September, SBEP will be offering various events and opprtunities to #WadeIn to your local bays and waterways!

National Estuaries Week is celebrated every year around the U.S. to showcase the value our bays and estuaries provide to our local communities. An estuary is an area where freshwater and saltwater meet. On the Gulf Coast of Florida, our estuaries provide habitat for over 70% of important commercial and recreational fish species, including snapper, grouper, red drum, snook, and mullet. They support our wildlife populations of birds, dolphins, and manatees. They are a main driver for our economy, uplifting property values and supporting tourism and water-related jobs. Bay habitats like mangroves and seagrasses can help reduce erosion and storm damage, and the beauty and recreational opportunities of our bays add to the overall quality of life here in Florida.