Fisheries Assistance on Military Lands

Photo by Panama City U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The Panama City U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Resources (USFWS-FR) has partnered with Eglin Air Force Base to create a Stream Assessment Program (SAP). This program is intended to address the needs of Eglin Air Force Base in accordance with the 2002 Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP). Our primary goal is to assist Eglin by providing assistance with restoring and maintaining stream resources. The SAP is developing baseline data, trend measures, peer-reviewed sampling techniques, staffing recommendations and ranking of priority issues. Program integration and decision support are also aspects of the SAP.

Program Highlights:

Jackson Guard has sponsored a proactive, results-driven adaptive management approach to assess, prioritize, restore and monitor the stream systems on Eglin Air Force Base.

Scientific literature, professional expertise, and peer reviews are incorporated into the process at several levels which ensure use of the most appropriate and scientifically valid monitoring and assessment techniques.

Numerous requests for assistance provides support for suggesting a need to integrate a freshwater stream monitoring program into the Ecosystem Management Program of Eglin.

This program provides technical assistance for assessing, maintaining and restoring biological integrity in stream systems on Eglin.

The Stream Assessment Program (SAP) is conducting assessments that incorporate fish, aquatic insects, water chemistry and in-stream habitat.

The SAP has identified fish passage barriers, assisted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection with developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) water quality standards, identified areas with overland sediment delivery, recommended road crossing structure modification and determined sites needed for water chemistry monitoring.

The SAP efforts contribute to compliance with the Clean Water Act (1972) and the Endangered Species Act (1973) in a way that flexibility for military mission alternatives is protected and, in some cases, increased.

Air Force-sponsored efforts significantly contribute to the recovery of the Okaloosa darter. Combined with efforts on private lands surrounding the base, these efforts will lead to the eventual reclassification and delisting of the species.