APTIM - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida Marine and Coastal Professional Engineering Consulting Services (CCNA) | RFQ No. 18‐02‐01 Aptim Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc. 9 01C032018D permit requirements. However, if the City is ever in need of additional support, our marine biologists have extensive experience developing and implementing hardbottom and artificial reef monitoring programs in association with beach nourishment projects on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida. We have FDEP‐ approved biologists on staff, and utilize our own research vessels, boat captains, support divers and in‐ house sampling gear to conduct marine benthic surveys and habitat delineation for our clients. APTIM biologists are highly skilled and specifically trained in scientific data collection in Florida’s coastal and marine habitats. We have conducted numerous hardbottom, artificial reef and seagrass surveys in support of dredging, nourishment, seawall construction and repair, marina development, and boat ramp construction and reconstruction. Depending on the City’s specific project needs, our team can survey, map, and characterize benthic resources that may occur in the project vicinity. In cases where the City might want to replace a seawall or bulkhead, our biologists can survey the structure to document any biota (such as stony corals, octocorals, and oysters) present. We will coordinate our survey protocol with appropriate state and federal agencies to ensure survey results will be acceptable in support of project design and permit applications. When conducting surveys of hardbottom and artificial reef resources, we utilize the Benthic Ecological Assessment for Marginal Reefs (BEAMR) methodology, which APTIM biologists developed in 2004 to characterize the hardbottom and reef resources in south Florida. This method assess changes to the biological communities as well as sedimentation on natural hardbottom or artificial reefs. The BEAMR method is now considered an industry standard and is recognized by state and federal agencies for resource characterization and project effects determinations. Our biologists also routinely conduct fish population assessments on natural hardbottom and artificial reefs using transect counts, stationary counts, and timed swim (rover‐diver counts). For seagrass surveys, we typically employ the Braun‐ Blanquet index methodology, which allows us to quickly survey a large area of seagrass by using a scale of numbers that are proportional to area covered by each species identified. These data provide species‐specific abundance and distribution data, which can then be analyzed for potential project‐related community changes or as a tool for mitigation planning. APTIM biologists work for our clients from project inception in support of permitting, design, mitigation planning, and pre‐, mid‐, and post‐construction monitoring. State and federal permits typically require long‐term environmental monitoring to ensure coastal projects do not negatively impact valuable habitat or species. We not only design and implement hardbottom, artificial reef, and seagrass monitoring programs, but we also assist our clients in coordinating other permit‐required environmental monitoring such as sea turtle and shorebird monitoring. We understand that Miami‐Dade County staff conducts the annual sea turtle monitoring in the City under the direction of Teal Kawana, Project Manager, who holds the FWC turtle permit for the County. We will coordinate with the County staff to ensure sea turtle monitoring and shorebird requirements continue to be met for any future City projects. APTIM biologists routinely monitor natural hardbottom and artificial reefs.