Gandy/Sun Bay South: Marina wins praise for its clean record
Bayside is the first marina in Hillsborough County to be named a Clean Marina by the state.
By JEANNE DIENER-STARK
Published October 15, 2004
Most people know the Bayside Marina for its RattleFish Raw Bar and Grill and water views that stretch to downtown St. Petersburg.
Now they can know it for its environmentally friendly track record.
The Bayside Marina on Tyson Avenue has been named a Clean Marina by the state's Department of Environmental Protection. Bayside is the 87th marina in the state and the first in Hillsborough County to earn the designation, said Rose Poynor, a DEP environmental manager who works with the Clean Marina program.
In all, Florida has about 2,000 marinas.
The distinction comes at a difficult time for marinas statewide. Recent hurricanes closed Bayside for several days, said Mike Emmanuel, owner and general manager. Hurricane Jeanne blew out four docks; Frances and Charley took out two.
Fortunately, Emmanuel said, no boats were lost and none of the marina buildings sustained major damage. The marina can hold 450 boats.
The Clean Marina designation means the marina has met certain criteria for protecting the environment and planning for emergencies, including fires, medical calls, accidents, power outages, bomb threats, hurricanes and fuel spills.
Poynor, who worked with Bayside, praised the marina for its recycling program. Docks have bins for recycling oil and dangerous chemicals, and signs remind boaters how to recycle and safely store chemicals while at the marina or on their boats. Other signs alert boaters to manatees.
A few years ago, the marina also replaced Brazilian pepper and other non-native plants with Florida sea grasses to promote native vegetation, which provides habitat for fish and wildlife.
Bayside has received grants from the DEP to more safely remove septic waste from boats and to recycle fish carcasses. As a stipulation for getting the grants, the marina had to follow the Clean Marina guidelines.
The Clean Marina Program is sponsored by federal money from the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration, said Jan Delaney, program manager in Tallahassee. Funding goes toward promotional materials and other publications detailing how to become a Clean Marina.
Bayside had been working on the designation for years, Emmanuel said.
"People are becoming so environmentally aware these days, it makes them feel good about doing business with you," he said.
Poynor expects more marinas in Hillsborough County will take part in the program. Mariner's Cove at Bahia Beach in southeastern Hillsborough County already has expressed interest.
