Dauphin Island Sea Lab Restoring Aquatic Grass Along Alabama Coast

By Dennis Washington

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Researchers at Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) are planting underwater grasses in coastal areas of Alabama to improve marine habitats for fish and wildlife.

The work is part of a 5-year project funded by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. The council, in connection with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, tasked DISL with completing a submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration program in upper and lower Perdido Bay, and lower Mobile/Tensaw River Delta. The lab is also undertaking a comprehensive SAV mapping and monitoring program for coastal Alabama.

“We care about submerged aquatic vegetation because this is the nursery habitat for our juvenile fish, crabs and shrimp,” said Dottie Byron, manager in Ken Heck’s Lab at DISL. “It’s really good hiding places when you’re little to hide and eat and grow up and then move to your adult habitat. That’s why we want to restore this. The more grass we have out there the better fishing we’re going to have, better crabbing we’re going to have.”

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