Sarasota Bay Estuary Program
The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program is a cooperative partnership among communities, researchers, and governments that strives to improve the health of Sarasota Bay and enhance the area's natural resources for public benefit.
Explore Our Partner Profiles
Protecting and restoring Sarasota Bay is a team effort. SBEP’s Partner Profile series highlights members of our Technical Advisory Committee, community partners, and local organizations working to advance research, restoration, and conservation efforts throughout Sarasota Bay and its watershed.
Recent News & Notes
Greg Byrd from Mote Marine Operations deploys a SCAN receiver. Photo credit to Andy Deitsch To steward Sarasota Bay, we first must understand it. Researchers measure, monitor, and map the bay. Now, they’re also listening. Thousands of people recreate in or on the waters of Sarasota Bay each year, often alongside our local wildlife. We enjoy…
“There is hope where our waters meet. And that hope is worth celebrating.” – Max Chesnes, Tampa Bay Times Environmental Reporter and event MC On September 24, 2026, as part of our National Estuaries Week celebrations, Tampa Bay Estuary Program and Sarasota Bay Estuary Program co-hosted “Where Waters Meet: Stories of Hope from Florida’s Gulf…
One-Year Observations at Bayfront Park in the Town of Longboat Key, Florida Living Seawall, Bayfront Park in the Town of Longboat Key, Florida. Photo courtesy: Cummins Cederberg Turning a Seawall into Habitat Seawalls are common along developed shorelines in Florida, but the smooth, vertical surfaces limit the structure and habitat for marine life. The Longboat…
Pinard, Felix. A sailboat on Sarasota Bay – Sarasota, Florida. 20th century. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Gandy, George Skip IV, “Sarasota High Altitude Aerial Photo, C” (1979). Gandy Photographs – Aerials. Image 602. My family has called Florida home for six generations. When I am on the waters of our Bays or walking…
Sarasota Bay’s Mangroves: A Critical Natural Asset Sarasota Bay has lost most of its coastal wetlands to dredge and fill operations and coastal development. Coastal development has installed over 200 miles of hardened shoreline in place of mangrove and wetlands. The remaining wetlands and mature mangrove forests in Sarasota Bay are essential to the functioning…
On a warm Saturday morning, a group of veterans and volunteers gathered at a boat ramp, unloaded kayaks, exchanged greetings, and prepared to spend a few hours exploring Sarasota Bay together. For some, it was another trip in a season full of paddling adventures. For others, it was their first time stepping into a kayak.…
Our Programs
We work with our partners to improve the science of bay management, restore wildlife habitats, and increase community engagement in bay restoration efforts.
