DU, CCA joins to restore Dagger Island
Story from Ducks Unlimited
Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Ducks Unlimited and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are working together to restore Dagger Island and protect seagrass beds in Redfish Bay.
“Waterfowl and fisheries often share the same habitats and need the same resources,” said DU director of development Matt Bunn.
The partners are working together to enhance 557 acres of continuous seagrass beds, intertidal wetlands and coastal islands in the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area. Redfish Bay contains the northernmost extensive stands of seagrass on the Texas coast and is one of only three bays that contain all five species of native seagrass in Texas.
Dagger Island was once a nearly solid island separating Corpus Christi Bay and Redfish Bay. Erosion has decreased the size of the island and broken it into a chain of smaller islands. DU will construct a half-mile breakwater and use dredged material to restore Dagger Island.
Restoration and protection of remnant portions of Dagger Island will protect seagrasses from wave energy caused by winds and large vessel traffic on the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. These seagrass beds are important for both waterfowl and fish.
CCA and its national habitat program committed $250,000 to the project. Other funding is provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, TPWD, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program.
