Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve is a protected coastal area near Ruskin south of Tampa, combining coastal uplands, freshwater wetlands, and estuarine habitat across thousands of acres. Its seagrass and oyster beds support aquatic life, and the area serves as nursery habitat for young fish including red drum and snook, as well as crustaceans and many other species. It is also important for birdlife, with at least 300 species recorded, and it contains archaeological evidence of Indigenous peoples. After damage from farming and mining pits, a 21-year restoration effort involving about 2,500 volunteers, environmental groups, and government agencies led to the restored area’s formal dedication in 2012.