The ABSI mission: to gain insight into the root causes of decline of the Apalachicola Bay ecosystem with a focus on oyster reefs, and ultimately, with guidance from the Community Advisory Board and input from stakeholders and the public, to develop science-informed restoration and ecosystem-based management plans focused on the recovery of oyster reefs and the health of Apalachicola Bay.

The Community Advisory Board (CAB) met on August 18th and received briefings from Dr. Sandra Brooke (FSU) who gave an ABSI Research Update (see Science Update below) and Matt Davis (FWC) who provided an Apalachicola Bay NFWF 1.0 Restoration Update. Carrie Jones (FDACS) then detailed out FDACS Apalachicola Bay Water Quality Sampling, and Anne Birch and Laura Geselbracht (TNC) relayed their experience in Creating an Oyster Fisheries and Habitat Management Plan for the Pensacola Bay System.

CAB members discussed and approved changes in the Draft Apalachicola Bay System (ABS) Plan (click for downloadable PDF) . The next meeting, on October 19th, will be a culmination of all the effort and work the CAB has put in over the past two years in crafting a first draft of recommendations for inclusion in the ABS Plan. They will prioritize all 42 strategies in this plan, propelling it into its final stages.

ABSI also held a third Oystermen's Workshop on July 14th. Dr. Brooke provided a Restoration Experiment Update and the oystermen provided feedback. The ABSI team and oystermen then evaluated possible oyster fishery management approaches such as:

To ensure complete transparency, the entire history of the deliberations following from each meeting, copies of all presentations, and a recording of each meeting since March 2020 are available on the ABSI Community Advisory Board website.

Note: Due to COVID-19, meetings of the CAB have taken place virtually using ZOOM since the May 2020 meeting and will continue to be virtual until further notice. Members of the public are welcome to call in during meetings. Directions for doing so are on the website.

CAB Meeting: October 19, 2021 at 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

(Held via Zoom -- members of the public are encouraged to attend and listen in. There is room for for public comment at the end of each meeting.)

ABSI will join the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) in hosting a SciCafé Event on Sept. 22nd at 5 pm at Eastpoint Beer Company. We are currently moving forward with an in-person gathering, but may switch to a virtual format in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to the ANERR and FSUCML Facebook pages for updates.

We are always interested in hearing from you so if you have questions or comments, please send them to our email address, fsucml-absi@fsu.edu.