Trash and debris have been floating freely in Bayboro Harbor since a heavy summer rainstorm damaged the watergoat, resulting in its removal.
The watergoat is a system of buoys and netting that traps floating debris in the water.
Its effectiveness was compromised when the string of buoys was cut on one side, said former SEAS President Stephanie Lawler. SEAS, an acronym for the Student Environmental Awareness Society, purchased the watergoat in February 2011 with grant money from the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.
Lawler believes the watergoat may have been damaged when someone used it for crab trapping, but an official cause was never confirmed.
SEAS intended to make repairs to the watergoat after discovering the cut but once the storm hit, it was simply unsalvageable, Lawler said.
Before installing a new watergoat, SEAS is researching more environmentally friendly and efficient materials.
The organization is looking to use an alternative material for the watergoat’s netting that will be less attractive to oysters, said Lawler, adding the crustaceans often became attached to the buoys or tangled in the nets.
SEAS has every intention of installing a new watergoat, said Lawler, however, lack of funding has hindered efforts. Since the watergoat was funded through grants there is no extra money that can be used to replace it—meaning funds will have to be raised from sponsors, Lawler said.
While the first watergoat cost about $1,700, Lawler estimates that the new, more efficient design could cost closer to $3,000.
“We’re looking to enhance the materials we use to add longevity,” said Lawler, explaining the new watergoat should be able to withstand storms and other uncontrollable, natural hazards.
“Now that the semester is back in swing, we can begin the process,” Lawler said. Plans to replace the watergoat are still in the preliminary stages, with proposals in the works to justify the device’s replacement and funding.
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Lawler
