Surveillance of Predator Interactions with Clam Restoration

The project aimed to develop and test a surveillance method using passive acoustics and video recorders to monitor predator interactions with hard clam restoration sites in Sarasota Bay, Florida. Passive acoustic and video recorders were deployed at four restoration sites to track predator visitation patterns, particularly focusing on whitespotted eagle rays, using three types of passive acoustic recorders (PARs): Loggerhead Instruments Cyclops, SNAP, and DSG units, which were set to record audio and video at specific intervals to conserve battery life and maximize data storage. Clam releases were monitored at three sites, with PARs deployed before and after these events to collect background and post-deployment data. Video data, totaling 57 hours, were manually analyzed for fauna presence, but poor visibility and biofouling affected the quality of the recordings, limiting their utility. The analysis revealed site-to-site variability in fracture rates, with some sites showing increased activity post-clam deployment; however, no rays were observed, and only a sea turtle was suspected of consuming clams. The project established proof-of-concept for using PARs in monitoring predator-prey interactions in aquaculture settings, leading to proposals for further funding, including a submission to the National Science Foundation’s CAREER program, while highlighting the need for further validation and testing of the developed methods before broader application. The project successfully demonstrated the potential of passive acoustic monitoring to track predator interactions with clam restoration sites, providing valuable insights into predator activity patterns and supporting the use of this technology in future aquaculture and restoration efforts, although further refinement and validation are necessary, and contributed to the development of proposals for larger-scale studies to enhance understanding of predator-prey dynamics in marine ecosystems.