CONTACT US: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue SE St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727-896-8626 http://MyFWC.com/ BoatingGuides Boating_Guides@ MyFWC.com Tampa Bay Estuary Program 100 Eighth Avenue SE St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 727-893-2765 http://www.tbep.org saveit@tbep.org Funding for this project was obtained through Tampa Bay Estuary Program specialty license plate funds. Additional funding for this project was obtained through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Fund.

Tampa Bay is home to three National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. These refuges protect breeding areas for colonial water birds, as well as provide habitat for shore birds, land turtles and tortoises, and plants. Many of these species are classified as threatened or endangered. Passage Key NWR and Pinellas NWR are closed to the public. For more information about the National Wildlife Refuge System, please visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service home page. Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge Established in 1974, Egmont Key sits at the mouth of Tampa Bay. It served as the former U.S. Army Fort Dade Military Reservation. Visitors make the voyage from Mullet Key and Anna Maria Island to explore the fort's ruins and observe the wildlife still present on this barrier island. Two wildlife sanctuaries, one located on the south end of Egmont Key and the other located on the east or bay side of the island, are closed to the public year round. These areas are marked by signage. Visitors can access Egmont Key by personal boat or a ferry that runs from Fort De Soto County Park. This park is jointly managed with Egmont Key State Park. Pinellas National Wildlife Refuge Pinellas National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1951 to preserve nesting habitat for endangered brown pelicans and other water birds. It is located to the east of Tierra Verde and is made up of several islands keys: Indian, Tarpon, Mule, and Jackass. These keys are closed to the public year-round. Passage Key Passage Key is a meandering barrier island located between Egmont Key and Anna Maria Island, at the mouth of Tampa Bay. It was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1905, one of the first refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. This barrier island provides habitat for colonial water birds and shore birds to nest, feed, and rest. These islands are closed to the public year-round. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about this Web site, please e-mail us at Boating_Guides@MyFWC.com. Would you like to receive notices of changes to this Web site and the Boating and Angling Guide to Tampa Bay? If so, please e-mail us and include SUBSCRIBE-TAMPA in the subject line.