Great Scallop Search 2026 – South Sarasota Bay

Search Area: South Sarasota Bay

Registration / Launch Location: Sarasota Sailing Squadron

1717 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236

We are seeking volunteers for a “Citizen Science Event” to collect data on shellfish, animals, and seagrass in Sarasota Bay. Your participation helps assess bay health and is part of a larger effort along Florida’s west coast to gather information on marine life and water quality. This is an event worth getting the whole family involved!

Volunteers will identify areas of interest for investigation. Using the provided scallop survey equipment, they will set up an “observation area” with buoys and ropes. Volunteers will work in teams to record all the sea life found within this perimeter. Swimmers will scan the water and report their findings to a recorder, who will stay on the surface and document the observations on a data sheet. Once the observation area has been thoroughly surveyed, the team will retrieve their equipment and proceed to the next site.

Ways to Accomplish this Goal:

Kayakers will focus on very shallow areas near the shore. Working in pairs, one volunteer will snorkel while the other records data. Kayakers will be responsible for transporting their survey equipment to these locations.

Boat Captains will cover deeper areas, working with their designated Boat Crew or single Snorkelers to record sea life. Boat captains are responsible for transporting their survey equipment to these areas.

Boat Crew are volunteers who have a Boat Captain prior to the event.

Snorkelers will be paired with boat captains who have additional space on their vessels (space permitting).

**All participants (except Boat Captains) should be prepared to snorkel and must provide their own snorkeling gear.**