Produced by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Wildlife Research Institute, the new guide is available to area boaters and anglers free of charge.

Like the original boater’s guide, the new version includes a colorfully detailed fold-out map. However, in addition to public boat ramps and artificial reefs, the revised edition features local fishing piers, tide stations, environmentally friendly marinas, bridge clearances, marine towing companies, anchorages, and fishing hot spots. It also showcases the diverse marine life that inhabits Tampa Bay - both above and below the water’s surface - from manatees to sea turtles to wading and shorebirds. Seagrasses, mangroves and salt marshes are identified, as well as local boating speed zones and no-entry areas.

A resource list is provided that features important phone numbers for marine law enforcement, marine towing companies and seabird rescue facilities, among others.

Printed on water-resistant paper, the guides are designed so boaters can carry them aboard their vessels for handy reference. So don’t leave the dock without it!