Area Map

The Sebastian Inlet Management Area extends from State Road 510 the Wabasso Causeway and bridge) in Indian River County northward to Hog Point in Brevard County. This north south distance is about 16 miles and includes all the salt marshes, mangrove swamps and impoundments on the barrier Island side of the Indian River Lagoon. There are many mangrove islands included in the management area. The western boundary is the Intracoastal Waterway. Most of the public and private lands have had individual impoundment management plans developed in the last three years since development of the Sebastian Inlet Management Area Regional Plan.

The major features of this area are the Sebastian Inlet and the St. Sebastian River, a freshwater source west of the area. The proximity of the inlet to all these marshes is important, especially for fishery options related to the abundant supply of organisms entering the Indian River Lagoon at this location.

There are two important wading bird rookeries in or near the Management Area; Pelican Island and Grant Farm Island. Both of these rookeries support the endangered wood stork as well as other colonial nesting wading birds. Pelican Island is the central focus of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Other publicly owned areas of importance are the Sebastian Inlet State Park, and Long Point county park.

There are 15 impoundments in the SIMA, two of which are breached and unmanaged. The total impoundment area in the SIMA is 1206 acres (488.5 ha). Most of these impoundments are in Rotational Impoundment Management, and the two nearest two Pelican Island have a special winter pump up and drawdown feature for wading bird feeding. About 340 acres (137.7 ha) of island marshes and mangrove swamps which are unimpounded, but most of these islands have been ditched in the past.