E.G.SIMMONS / COCKROACH BAY
130 Terra Ceia Road
Terra Ceia, Florida 34250
941-721-2068
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/cockroachThe name "Cockroach Bay" may have originated with early explorers who observed numerous horseshoe crabs in the area. This is the only aquatic preserve in Florida in which the submerged land of the preserve is not state-owned. The submerged lands are owned by Hillsborough Port Authority. The preserve includes two paddling trails that wind through mangrove labyrinths. Numerous mangrove islands provide nursery areas for snook, red drum, and other gamefish. Submerged habitats include seagrass beds, hardbottom, and oyster reefs. Archaeological sites indicate the importance of this area to pre-Columbian Native Americans.
