Dr. Ross Boucek, BTT’s new Florida Keys Initiative Manager, recently attended the Inaugural Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit, where he was interviewed by FIU News.
Stretching 35 miles along South Florida’s Atlantic coast, Biscayne Bay is home to diverse marine plants and animals, including the threatened Florida manatee. Debris, fertilizers, pesticides, pollutants, sewer and storm water and other human-made disturbances impact its health.
For Ross Boucek, Florida Keys Initiative Manager of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, the summit was an opportunity to learn how to improve the health of Biscayne Bay, a lagoon that is home to ecologically and economically important bonefish, permit and tarpon.
“There are a lot of environmental problems with Biscayne Bay, but there’s such a diversity of people working to improve the bay, from FIU researchers to municipalities and volunteers, something positive will get done. It’s very exciting to see everyone communicating and working together,” Boucek said.
Boucek earned a Ph.D. in biological sciences from FIU. He has conducted extensive research on some of the South Florida’s most valuable recreational fisheries.
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