Stay In Touch With Collier County's Sea Grant Extension Program

Venting Tool Changes in the Gulf Provide New Options for Anglers

2013-09-14T20:42:00.001-04:00

Did you know anglers targeting reef fish such as grouper and snapper in the Gulf of Mexico are no longer be

Venting a red grouper

required to use venting tools to treat fish suffering from barotrauma. Barotrauma is the rapid expansion of gases inside a fish’s swim bladder due to changes in pressure when brought to the surface. Venting is the process of releasing these trapped gases by inserting a sharpened, hollow needle into the side of the fish, which has shown to be a useful method for returning fish back to depth. However, while venting can be attributed to increased survival rates for some species, research for many other is either lacking or inconclusive, particularly in deeper waters. In addition, new gear known as fish descending devices can be used to return fish back to depth without the need of venting in many cases. Research from the U.S. Pacific coast has shown that fish descending gear have been highly effective at increasing the survival rates of several species of released rockfish. It is hoped that these devices will have similar results for reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. Because of the reasons, the Gulf Council voted to remove the venting requirement. It is important to note, however, that both venting and descending devices are options of last resort and should only be used if fish can’t get back down on their own. Knowing when and how to properly use these devices is key to improving the survival rates of fish that are released.Are you new to fish descending gear?
While fish descending gear is not necessarily new, their use has been more prevalent on the west coast than

A Seaqualizer Fish Descending
Tool being used to
return a red grouper
suffering from barotrauma

here in the Gulf and South Atlantic. Check out the following videos that show some examples of these devices.

Using the Fish Saver Descending Tool

http://youtu.be/bXmSAvpJHa0

Using a Utility Crate (aka fish elevator) Fish Descending Tool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhqjN-2bApg

Using the Seaqualizer Fish Descending Tool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4YktnnBLko

To learn more about barotrauma, venting tools, and fish descending gear visit Florida Sea Grant's catch and release website.

Sawdust in the Water? Trichodesmium Algal Blooms

2013-06-17T14:32:00.000-04:00

Boaters and beachgoers in southwest Florida periodically observe what appears to be large mats of

“sawdust” floating on the water’s surface. What they are seeing is not the remnants of someone’s woodworking project, but a marine cyanobacteria (also known as blue green algae) called Trichodesmium.

Trichodesmium naturally occurs in tropical and subtropical waters including the Gulf of Mexico. When environmental conditions are right, Trichodesmium cells rapidly repro-duce resulting in a bloom of the cyanobacteria that can be visible by onlookers.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Trichodesmium cells form long chains, called trichomes. Trichomes then can gather into colonies called “puffs” or “tuffs,” and these colonies can aggregate at the surface of the water and form large mats that can extend for miles (also called “sailor’s sawdust”). The amount of Trichodesmium on the surface may vary with time of day, as this species is capable of migrating up and down in the water column. Blooms generally occur offshore in nutrient-poor waters, but currents and winds can push them near shore.

Trichodesmium blooms can take on a range of colors depending on stage of the bloom. Healthy blooms are typically brown in color, while blooms in initial decay may take on a green appearance due to accessory pigments leaching out and exposing the cyanobacteria’s chlorophyll. When the chlorophyll begins to deteriorate the blooms appear white in col-or. Trichodesmium blooms are also reported to have a unique “sweet” smell when it decays and large blooms can turn the water red or pink when stressed cells leaks out water soluble, accessory pigments.

Unlike other algal blooms that occur in the region, Trichodesmium blooms are not related to coastal nutrient sources or pollution. Most or all of the nutrients Trichodesmium requires are taken up directly from the water.

Interestingly, the occurrence of Trichodesmium blooms in Florida is thought to be connected to weather events on the other side of the planet. Blooms in the Gulf of Mexico tend to occur between May and September, which is also a time of high storm activity in the Sahara Desert in Africa. Iron-rich dust from these storms are transported across the Atlantic Ocean by wind currents, and deposited into the Gulf of Mexico. Trichodesmium cells contains enzymes that utilize this high concentration of deposited iron to convert nitrogen into useable forms.

While Trichodesmium blooms can be aesthetically unappealing, it is not toxic and does not pose a health risk to humans. Ironically, Trichodesmium blooms are often seen prior to a Florida red tide bloom, which is a toxic algae that can result in numerous fish kills and human health issues.

Reference: http://myfwc.com/research/redtide/archive/historical-events/trichodesmium-fl-2004/

2013 Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series

2013-02-01T14:38:00.000-05:00

Join the Florida Sea Grant Extension Programs from Collier and Miami-Dade Counties for the 2013 Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series. This year's sessions will focus on seafood health and saftety.
See below for dates and topics.
To register for this FREE program visit: http://2013seafoodsafetyseries.eventbrite.com/#

Are You Smarter than a Stone Crab? January 23rd

2012-12-19T09:35:00.001-05:00

It’s that time again for another round of “Are You Smarter than A Stone Crab? The next tour will be Jan 23, 2013. This time the tour will begin at the Evergaldes City Museum so participants can learn more about the heritge associated with commercial fishing in Everglades City. This program is a great way to learn more about the economic and cultural importance of one of Florida’s most valuable fisheries. Hope to see you there! To register, click on the flyer below.

2013 SW Florida Marine Fisheries Workshop

2012-11-21T16:54:00.001-05:00

I hope you will be able to join us for our 2013 SW Florida Fisheries Regulations and Management Workshop!

To register visit:

http://2013fisheriesworkshop.eventbrite.com/

A Florida Stone Crab's Life Cycle

2012-11-09T08:35:00.000-05:00

Stone crabs are one of Florida’s most valuable fisheries, and like other species we depend on for seafood, they often utilize a variety of habitats and undergo a series of physical transformations throughout their life.

Mating in stone crabs takes place near and offshore during the fall and can only occur when the female has molted and her shell is soft. While eggs are fertilized internally, they are eventually deposited beneath the female’s abdomen or “apron” in an external mass called a sponge. Spawning typically occurs during summer months and females can release millions of fertilized eggs in several intervals.

The eggs, which float in the water column, usually hatch within two weeks and then larval development takes approximately a month to complete. Larvae are planktonic and are transported to coastal and estuarine waters. The first larval stage to emerge from the egg is a called a zoea. As the zoea larvae grows they pass through five distinct changes before developing into a post-larval form called a megalopae. The megalopae, which is more crab-like in appearance, will settle to the bottom where it will take shelter. Here, it will molt several times before transitioning to a juvenile stone crab.

A juvenile stone crab in my hand

Unlike adult Florida stone crabs, which are tan in color, juvenile stone crabs up to about 2.5 cm (1 inch) in width are deep purple to black with white flecks on their carapace. Like the adults though, they have distinctive white bands on their legs. As they grow and molt, they will begin to take on the appearance of adult stone crabs. Juveniles can be found living among shell rubble, oyster beds, sponges, and tunicates in estuarine and nearshore habitats.

An adult stone crab hiding under a ledge

Florida stone crabs becomes sexually mature by two years of age. Adults will move around and can be found living in burrows among seagrass communities, or offshore out to depths of 200 feet, where they live under ledges or in burrows and crevices associated with hardbottom communities. Age estimates suggest male Florida stone crabs live for seven or eight years while females can live up to eight or nine years.

Overview of Florida's Commercial Snapper Fisheries

2012-10-27T09:55:00.002-04:00

Image credits: Dianne Pebbles, SAFMC

Snappers (Family Lutjanidae) are a widely-distributed group of fishes that inhabit a diverse range of coastal and marine habitats. They are generalized predators characterized by the presence of strong jaws with prominent canine teeth. Generally smaller than grouper, they can range from a few pounds to over 60 pounds. Florida has approximately 15 snapper species; only half of which are targeted by commercial fishermen as they are prized for their firm texture and mild flavored meat.

Landings

2010 Florida Snapper Landings (lbs)
by FloridaCoast: Source:FWRI

Over the last decade, an average of 4.3 million pounds of snapper worth an average of $10.7 million were landed by Florida commercial fishermen. Despite the diversity of snappers found in Florida waters, approximately 90% of commercial landings come from three primary species; yellowtail, vermillion, and red snapper. Top landings for red and vermillion snapper occur in the Panhandle region, while south Florida dominates yellowtail landings. Much like grouper, the overwhelming majority of snapper are landed on Florida's Gulf coast in federal waters.

Management
Snappers are heavily regulated with high demand from both the commercial and recreational sectors. Stocks are managed separately in the Gulf and Atlantic waters. State regulations typically mirror federal rules for consistency, but this is not always true. Management of the snapper fishery has been challenging due to a lack of data on both the resource and the fishery. Improved data collection during the 1980s and 1990s has provided more management information on some of the more commercially and recreationally valuable species, but lack of basic management data on many of the species still remains the major obstacle to successful management.

Status of Populations
Of Florida's three major commercial snapper species, yellowtail populations appear to be the most robust. They are neither overfished nor experiencing overfishing in either the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico. While vermilion snapper are abundant in the Gulf of Mexico, population levels are lower in the Caribbean and South Atlantic. They are not considered overfished, but are experiencing overfishing in this region; management measures are currently in place to end overfishing.

* denotes the stock is undergoing a rebuilding plan.
Source: Gulf and S. Atlantic Fishery Management Councils

Perhaps no other snapper species has generated as much controversy surrounding its management than red snapper. Because of its high demand by both commercial and recreational fishermen, it has undergone intense fishing pressure for years and is one of the most tightly regulated fisheries in the United States. South Atlantic stocks of red snapper are overfished and experiencing overfishing. The decline in the Atlantic population is thought to have occurred since the 1950s with continued pressure in following decades. The 2008 stock assessment indicated that overfishing was occurring at 14 times the sustainable level. Based on this information, the entire snapper fishery was shut down in the beginning of 2010. Recent considerations to shut down large areas off of Florida and Georgia’s coasts to all snapper and grouper fishing was negated due to updated stock assessment data that indicated the stock was in slightly better shape than previously thought. It is expected, however, that the fishery will remain closed for several more years and a full recovery won’t be for several decades.

Source: NMFS

Since implementing a catch share program in 2007 the commercial Gulf red snapper fishery has seen a 40 percent increase in the total allowable catch. In fact, overfishing of red snapper in the Gulf ended in 2009. While still classified as overfished, the stock appears to be rebuilding faster than anticipated; even with the better than expected news, the stock is not expected to be fully recovered until 2032.

Several factors have contributed to the complexity associated with red snapper management:

Shrimp Trawl Bycatch
Historically, the unintended bycatch of juvenile red snapper in shrimp trawls contributed to a significant portion of snapper mortality. Over the past several years though, the domestic shrimp fleet has been significantly reduced due to fuel prices, competition with imports, and hurricanes. As a result, juvenile mortality levels have decreased, contributing to faster than expected rebuilding efforts. In addition, improved designs in Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRDs) in shrimp nets is thought to have contributed to recovery efforts.
Discard Mortality
Because of strict regulations such as closed seasons and size and bag limits, many red snapper are released by fishermen. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of these released fish (approximately 40% of released recreational fish and up to 90% of released commercial fish) do not survive, which further hinders management efforts to rebuild the fishery. Recent regulations requiring the use of circle hooks, dehooking devices, and venting tool have helped to reduce release mortality of released fish.
Management Mandates
In 2006 the Magnuson-Stevens Conservation and Management Act set new guidelines to end overfishing and rebuild U.S. fish stocks. The re-authorization directed managers to act quickly to implement regulations to reduce mortality and end overfishing of affected stocks. As a result, managers were forced to implement more stern actions to rebuild red snapper stocks. Public Perception
Despite red snapper populations being considered overfished, many fishermen report catching more than ever before. Part of the issue has to do with the life history of red snapper. Red snapper are thought to live at least 50 years, and larger fish do not always mean older fish. Despite recent increases in overall numbers of red snapper, the age structure of the population remains truncated and there are not enough older fish to successfully repopulate the stock. Adding to the frustration of fishermen is that the ongoing snapper regulations have occurred during tough economic times, thus affecting their ability to earn a living from snapper fishing.

References:

Fishwatch. U.S. Seafood Facts: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/

Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute:

http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fishstats/commercial-fisheries/landings-in-florida/

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council: http://www.gulfcouncil.org/

Louisiana Sea Grant: http://www.lsu.edu/seagrantfish/faqs/index.html

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: http://www.safmc.net/

South Carolina Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Initiative:

http://scaquarium.org/SSI/PDFS/newsletters/2011_Issue1.pdf

Recording: Florida Hard Clam Industry Webinar

2012-10-13T17:53:00.000-04:00

Did you know that Florida is one of the top producers of farm raised hard clams in the country?
I invite you to watch a recording of a webinar I presented on Florida's hard clam aquaculture industry. There are three main goals of the webinar

Increase your knowledge of basic hard clam biology & ecology
Enhance your understanding of the trends, importance, & management of Florida’s hard clam industry
Make you more informed about the purchasing, storing, & handling of hard clams

Webinar Recording

View the Blackboard Collaborate recording

Hard Clam webinar Evaluation

How did I do? If you watch the webinar please take a minute to complete a short evaluation. Your feedback will me in the preparation of future presentations

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/hardclam

Hard Clam Resources

I refer to several hard clam resources during the presenation and want to share them with you.

• UF/IFAS Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Resource: shellfish.ifas.ufl.edu

• FWC Hard Clams Sea Stats Publication: http ://www.scribd.com/doc/44618794/Sea-Stats-Clams?in_collection=2498616

• “Fresh from Florida” Hard Clam Resources http ://www.florida-agriculture.com/consumers/crops/seafoodproducts/species/clams /

Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series Recordings

Finally, if you would like to watch the recordings of past webinars in our series visit:

http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/environment/sea_grant_seafood.shtml

Snapshot of marine economic impacts in and around Collier County

2012-09-14T06:02:00.000-04:00

Economic impacts measure the level of economic activity in a given area. They may be viewed in terms of: (1) business output (or sales volume), (2) value added (or gross regional or domestic product), (3) business taxes, (4) personal income (including wages) or (5) jobs. Any of these measures can be an indicator of economic well-being (source: Economic Development Research Group, 1997). Below is a snapshot of the marine recreational and commercial industries and activities in Collier County (and surrounding areas) and their economic consequences and impacts.

Recreational Saltwater Fishing Activities

In 2010, 26,275 recreational saltwater fishing licenses were purchased in Collier County resulting in over $ 4.7 million dollars in sales. In addition over 2,000 special endorsements such as snook and lobster permits and tarpon tags were purchased with an estimated value of over $21,300. (source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – FWC).
Charter captains in Collier County purchased 221 fishing licenses for either the captain or vessel in groups of 4 or less, 6 or less, 10 or less or 11 or more passengers resulting in over $60,130 in sales (source: FWC).
Fishermen and divers who use southwest Florida’s artificial reefs sites spend over $253 million in the region annually. (source: Florida Sea Grant)
Expenditures on artificial reef-related activities in Southwest Florida generated almost $227million in economic outputs that supported over 2,500 full- and parttime jobs.
In southwest Florida (Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties) recreational fishing activities resulted in $1.3 billion in sales and supported 14,530 jobs in 2007 (source: FWC and NOAA Marine Fisheries)
In the 2010/2011 fiscal year, over 1.2 million individuals bought a saltwater recreational fishing license including more than 860,000 Florida residents and 394,000 non-residents. Total revenue for all marine recreational fishing license sales was over $25 million. (source:FWC)
Recreational fishing resulted in over $5 billion in economic impacts and supported approximately 50,000 jobs during 2009 (source: FWC).

Commercial Fishing Activities

171 commercial fishermen held saltwater products licenses in Collier County during 2008/09. There were 20 wholesale dealers, and 93 retail dealers over the same period (source: FWC).
Over 1.5 million pounds of seafood products were landed by commercial fishermen in Collier County in 2010. Of this amount, 608,000 pounds were stone crab claws worth an estimated $5.5 million in dockside value (source: FWC)
San Carlos Island shrimp harvesting and processing resulted in $54.9 million in economic impact for Lee County and supported 1,555 jobs in 1998 (source: Florida Sea Grant).
In Florida commercial fishing and seafood production resulted in $12.9 billion in sales and support-ed 64,744 jobs during 2009 (source: NOAA Fisheries of the US).

Boating Activities

21,691 vessels were registered in Collier County in 2010 (source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles – DHSMV).
In Florida, boaters spent $3.4 billion on boating trips in 2007 and $5.2 billion in watercraft expenses, which together supported 97,000 jobs. The economic effect of these same activities in southwest Florida (Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Desoto, Manatee) was $483 million in trip spending, $825 million in watercraft spending, together supporting 14.530 jobs (source: FWC)

Economic Summary

In 2009, there were over 10,000 people employed by 616 marine/coastal-related establishments in Collier County who earned over $270 million in wages with a GDP of over $618 million. (source: NOAA's State of the Coast)

Florida’s coastal counties account for 79% of the state’s overall economic productivity (source: National Oceans Economic Program, 2010).

How are you connected to south Florida?

2012-08-31T17:12:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought how you are connected to south Florida's marine environments? Fortunately, if you don't quite know the answer to the question, there is a new book that can help you see the many connections that exist between the region and those who visit and live there.

Pam Fletcher with Florida Sea Grant and and William Kruczynski of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are the co-editors of a new book called Tropical Connections: South Florida's Marine Environments. The book summarizes technical information on the south Florida marine ecosystem in a way that is easy to read and understand, and it is intended for students, educators, lay readers, and decision makers.

The book is comprised of fact pages that were prepared by 162 experts in their scientific disciplines. They can be used individually, but are arranged in chapters that help synthesize the information.

According to the editors, The title contains the word "connections" because the marine habitats of south Florida are interconnected physically, chemically, and biologically, as well as connected with other geographic regions. If you live, vacation, boat, swim, snorkel, SCUBA dive, fish, spear fish, bird watch, or eat marine fish or shellfish in south Florida, you are "connected" to the south Florida marine habitats. Also, people who read about, study, or enjoy knowing that the marine habitats of south Florida exist as natural wonders have a special connection to this place that may be no less significant than physical experiences.

Find out how you are "connected" to south Florida's marine ecosystems!

Recording of Florida Swordfish Webinar

2012-08-08T13:06:00.000-04:00

Did you miss our Brown Bag Webinar on Swordfish? No worries!

Credit: Photo courtesy of Mike Carden, a longline fisherman from Panama City, FL

You can watch a recording of our Florida Swordfish Fishery Webinar, which is part of our Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series. The series is intended for seafood lovers and educators who are interested in learning more about the safety and sustainability associated with Florida’s fisheries and seafood industry. The goals of the scallop presentation are:

Increase your knowledge of basic swordfish biology and ecology
Enhance your understanding of the trends, importance, and management of Florida’s and U.S. North Atlantic swordfish fishery
Make you more informed about the purchasing and consuming swordfish

To view the recording, click HERE

We want to hear from you!
We would love to get your feedback about the presentation by completing a short evaluation. Your input helps us plan for future educational programs. To access the evaluation click HERE.

Recordings of Past Webinar in the Series

Click HERE if you would like to view the recordings of past webinars from this series.

Additional Swordfish Resources

Florida's Commercial Spiny Lobster Fishery

2012-08-03T09:42:00.000-04:00

Image credit:FDACS

Did you know that 100% of the spiny lobster (Panulirus agrus) commercially harvested in the United States comes from Florida? In fact, spiny lobster is one of Florida's top seafood products in dockside value. In 2011 over 5.7 million pounds were harvested with a dockside value of over $38 million dollars!
Florida's spiny lobster fishery is concentrated mainly in South Florida, with approximately 90% of landings coming from the Florida Keys. While the fishery is jointly managed in federal waters by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, most of the fishing effort occurs in state waters, which is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Several regulations are implemented to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery.

Minimum size limits
Closed seasons/areas
Gear restrictions
Trap limitation and permitting program

The commercial spiny lobster season runs August 6th through March 31st. Typically a large proportion of landings occur in the first several months of the season followed by a steady decline the rest of the season. Fishing effort, in many cases also follow this trend. For example, in October many fishermen shift to harvesting stone crab, which contribute to decreased effort.

Image credit: FDACS

Since the 1960's Florida's spiny lobster fishery has primarily used traps to harvest the crustaceans, although some operations continue to dive for them. Lobsters are landed alive in depths from six to 300 feet.Traps are constructed of wood or plastic and can be no larger than three feet by two feet by two feet or the volumetric equivalent (12 cubic feet) with an entrance located at the top of the trap. Traps are also required to have a self-deteriorating escape panel to reduce incidents of "ghost" fishing in case the traps are lost or abandoned. Fishermen typically string traps along a trap line with each end of the line marked by a buoy. Traps, buoys, and vessels, must display a special permit number preceded by the letter "C" to denote them as commercial lobster operations.
Traps that are lost, abandoned, or incorrectly deployed can cause damage to reefs and seagrasses. To minimize these potential impacts management efforts have closed certain areas off to lobster fishing, and several organizations conduct trap clean up events to remove derelict traps off sensitive bottom habitats.

Image credit: Bryan Fluech

Despite a large domestic fishery, imports of spiny lobster tails make up at least an order of magnitude larger than what Florida fishermen land. Shell-on, frozen lobster tails are commonly imported from Brazil, Bahamas, Nicaragua, and Honduras. In addition, a significant portion of Florida landings are also exported. International demand for spiny lobsters have increased in recent year, particularly whole, live lobsters which brings a higher price to fishermen. Lobsters are often exported to China, Japan and other Asian countries in addition to Canada, France, and other European countries.

Spiny lobster landings in the 2000's have been considerably lower than in the previous decade, but pinpointing a single cause is difficult. Many factors affect fishery recruitment including the lost of juvenile and adult habitat, changes in spawning stock and larval supply, changes in water quality, and events that can impact population dynamics such as hurricanes, algal blooms, and/or changes in oceanographic conditions. In addition PaV1, a naturally-occurring pathogenic virus that is often fatal to juvenile spiny lobster is also thought to have played a factor in these declines.

According to NOAA, the U.S. spiny lobster fishery is not undergoing overfishing nor is it overfished. However, the status of the population is unknown because larval spiny lobster in U.S. waters come mostly from multiple areas of the Caribbean Sea. Without sampling the entire Caribbean region, it is impossible to assess the local population.

Image credit: Bryan Fluech

References:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Commercial Landings Data

http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fishstats/commercial-fisheries/landings-in-florida/

NOAA-Fishwatch
http://www.fishwatch.gov/

Play it Smart During Spiny Lobster Sport Season

2012-07-22T14:20:00.001-04:00

Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys

Each year during the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July thousands of recreational anglers converge on the Florida Keys for Florida’s famous spiny lobster sport season. More than 50,000 anglers have been documented on the water during this two-day "mini" season, and the density of boats along local coral patch reefs can be 900x higher than during the remainder of the regular season (1). Unfortunately, diving and boating accidents are common and deaths are not unheard of during this time. The impact to the lobster population can also great. Managers estimate the two-day sport season is responsible for 20-25% of the total annual recreational fishing effort and 80-90% of the legal size lobsters can be removed from reefs during this time (1,2)

Spiny Lobster Sport Season Regulations

Bag Limit: 6 per person per day for Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, and 12 per person per day for the rest of Florid

Size Limit: Carapace 3 inches or larger, measured in the water. Possession and use of a measuring device is required at all time

Possession Limit on the Water: Equal to the daily bag limit

Possession Limit off the Water: Equal to the daily bag limit on the first day, and double the daily bag limit on the second day. Possession limits are enforced on and off the water.

*Harvest of spiny lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season. Harvest is also prohibited during both the 2-day sport season and regular season in Biscayne National Park’s Lobster Sanctuary, Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and no take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Night diving is prohibite in Monroe County during the sport season.For more information on spiny lobster sport and regular season regulations click here.

To legally harvest spiny lobster, a spiny lobster permit must be purchased in addition to a valid Florida saltwater fishing license (even if you are fishing from shore and have a free shoreline lincese, a spiny lobster permit is required). Click here for more information on fishing licenses.

Useful Tools for Spiny Lobster Sport Season

Dive Flag - All divers in Florida waters must display a dive flag and stay within 100 feet of it.

Short-Handled Lobster Net and Tail Snare - Nets are used on sand flats while snares are best for reefs.

Tickle Stick - A thin fiberglass rod about 24 inches long used to coax lobsters out of holes without harming the reef.

Gloves - Used to get a firm grip on a lobster. Always handle a lobster by its carapace as they can sacrifice an antennae to escape being caught

Mesh Game Bag - To hold your catch. Look for models with a convenient way to attach to your weight belt or gear, and a locking enclosure.

Lobster Gauge - Every diver must carry a lobster gauge and must measure the lobster under water before it's placed in the game bag.

According to the FWC, "the carapace is measured beginning at the forward edge between the rostral horns, excluding any soft tissue, and proceeding along the middle to the rear edge of the carapace."

References

(1) Eggleston, D.B, E.G. Johnson, G.T. Kellison, and D.A. Nadeau. 2003. Intense removal and non-saturating functional responses by recreational divers on spiny lobster Panulirus argus. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 257: 197-207.

(2) Sharp, W.C., R.D. Bertelsen, and V.R. Leeworthy. 2005. Long-term trends in the recreational lobster fishery of Florida, United States: Landings, effort and implications for management. New Zeal J Mar Freshwat Res. 39: 733-747.

Do You Need a Florida Saltwater Fishing License?

2012-07-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

SINCE AUGUST 1, 2009, A SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE IS REQUIRED FOR FLORIDA RESIDENTS WHO FISH FROM SHORE.

Ø Besides natural shorelines the license is required for piers, jetties, bridges, floating docks or similar structures and includes bay, inland, Gulf and Atlantic waters of the State

Ø Since July 1, 2010 the annual resident shoreline fishing license is FREE, but residents fishing from shore are still required to obtain the license. Resident anglers who order the shoreline license over the phone or Internet will still have to pay a processing fee to the vendor

Ø Resident anglers who purchase a one-year, five-year, combination, or lifetime saltwater license are covered for both shoreline and watercraft recreational fishing.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a resident is "Any person who has resided in Florida for six continuous months prior to applying for a resident license and who claims Florida as their primary residence, or any member of the U.S. armed forces who is stationed in the state."

YOU DO NOT NEED A SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE IF YOU ARE...

Ø A resident drawing food stamps, temporary cash assistance or Medicaid and carrying an issued identification card while fishing

Ø A resident fishing in their home county with live or natural bait using a cane pole or other gear that does not depend on mechanical retrieval

Ø Under 16 years of age

Ø A Florida resident over 65 years of age

Ø Fishing from a for-hire vessel

Ø Fishing from a pier with a valid pier saltwater fishing license

Ø A Florida resident who's a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, home on leave for 30 days or less

Ø A Florida resident who possesses a Florida Resident Disabled Person Hunting and Fishing Certificate

Ø A holder of a saltwater products license

Ø Accepted as a client for developmental services by Dept. of Child and Family services, with proof there of

Ø A resident with a no-cost Florida Resident Disabled Person Hunting and Fishing Certificate, with certification of disability

To order a fishing license online visit: www.fl.wildlifelicense.com

or call 1-888-FISH FLORIDA (1-888-347-4356)

Additiona information can be obtained by visiting
www.myfwc.com or http://catchandrelease.org

Why should I consider purchasing a license if I'm not required to have one?

The more licenses purchased by Florida anglers, the more federal aid the state gets to support sport fish conservation and restoration projects. License sales help bring fishing tackle and motor boat fuel taxes back to Florida and help support its economy.

Chill Out: Preventing Scrombrotoxin Poisoning

2012-06-29T10:20:00.001-04:00

Two primary species of mackerel are harvested in Florida waters. The King mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) and Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorous maculatus) are two of the most important fishery species in the state. In 2011, both species were among the state’s top 10 commercial finfish species for landings and dockside value, worth more than $10 million combined.

As any south Florida angler knows mackerel are also among the most popular recreational fishes. They’re fairly common, put on a good fight, and taste good too. Sixty-eight percent of the total allowable catch is allocated to the recreational fishery and King and Spanish mackerel are both among the top five recreationally harvested species in the state (by weight).

King and Spanish mackerel are healthy sources of protein, Omega-3s, selenium, and B vitamins. However, it is essential that they are handled properly once landed as they have been identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as being capable of causing scombrotoxin poisoning. Other potential fish include:

What is scombrotoxin poisoning?

Scombrotoxin or histamine poisoning occurs when histamine and other biogenic amines are permitted to build up as a result of bacterial spoilage associated with time/temperature abuse. In the U.S. it is one of the most common illnesses caused by seafood, but it may also be prevented with proper handling and cooling. Biogenic amines, including histamine, are natural chemicals that can form in fish anytime during harvest, preparation and storage, though growth is more rapid at high temperatures. These amines may begin to develop after the fish dies, and will increase if the fish is left in the water too long after death, or if it is not adequately chilled immediately after it is brought on board.

Symptoms

Once histamine is formed it does not go away and cannot be eliminated by washing, cooking or freezing. Therefore, prevention is the only way to assure that histamine is not present in fish. Any fish that is showing signs of spoilage should be discarded, however even if a fish smells or looks good histamine may still be present and illness is possible. In most cases, the illness occurs very quickly and is relatively short-lived. While severe reactions are rare, symptoms are very uncomfortable and include flushing of the face and neck, tingling sensation of the tongue, headaches or dizziness, vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Prevention

Rapid chilling of fish immediately after death is the most important strategy for preventing the formation of scombrotoxin. Formation of biogenic amines is drastically reduced by cooling fish to 40° F (internal) and fish should be packed in ice, ice slush, chilled seawater or chilled brine as quickly as possible. Since larger fish take longer to cool than smaller fish evisceration (removal of the guts) of larger fish is a good way to help remove the bacteria that causes formation of biogenic amines. Evisceration must be done carefully and the gut cavity should be filled with ice or cooling media to quicken internal chilling.

References

1. Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance (FDA Hazards Guide)(4th Edition).

2. FDA Bad Bug Book: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/

Great Goliath Grouper Count: 2012 Collier Results

2012-06-21T22:21:00.000-04:00

Well the good news is that my colleagues and I were able to complete a third year of surveys for the Great Goliath Grouper Count (GGGC). The bad news is the weather wasn’t cooperative, and we weren’t able to survey as many sites as in the past two years. In addition, the number of grouper we counted was much lower than in past years, which could be in part to the poor visibility we had to deal with this year.

The GGGC is a collaborative outreach project between Florida Sea Grant and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to provide a regional “snapshot “ of goliath grouper presence and minimum abundance on artificial reefs throughout the region in a relatively short time frame (ideally one week). The concept came from the National Christmas Bird Count done through the Audubon Society. Volunteers collect fundamental fisheries information that help researchers characterize the size structure of goliath grouper within the study area and compare abundance and size distribution to habitat features, depth and region. Besides Collier County, surveys are conducted from Lee through Pinellas Counties in Southwest Florida, and off Taylor and Bay Counties in the Big Bend and Panhandle region. Beginning in 2011, we also had survey teams off the east coast of Florida near Palm Beach County. I am always quick to point out that this project is by no means a substitute for a formal stock assessment, as it is not comprehensive enough in scope, but it certainly can help provide managers and researchers with additional information they can use when assessing the health of the recovering goliath grouper population in Florida.

Highlights of this year’s GGGC in Collier County

· Nine divers and two boats only surveyed seven of the twelve designated Collier sites due to rough weather conditions

· Because of the weather the surveys were spread out over a week’s time period instead of the normal two day time frame.

· The depths of the sites surveyed ranged from 30 to 80 feet

· Four of the sites sampled were ship wrecks, two were radio towers, and one was a rubble pile

· The number of goliath grouper present at each site ranged from one to twelve.

· A minimum of 49 goliath grouper were counted at the seven sites (Avg 7). As a comparison, last year we counted a minimum of 128 grouper on 10 sites (Avg 12.8).

· Of the 49 grouper that were counted, one was estimated to be less than three feet, 28 were estimated to be between three and five feet, and 20 were estimated to be greater than five feet.

I will be sure to share the results from the rest of the project as soon as I get them.

Florida Scallop Fishery Webinar Recording

2012-06-13T18:39:00.000-04:00

Did you know…

Bay scallops in Florida only live about a year? There is a commercial fishery for calico scallops in Florida? Want to know more?

I invite you to watch a recording of a webinar my Sea Grant colleague Dr. Lisa Krimsky and I gave on Florida’s scallop fishery. The presentation is part of our Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series. The series is intended for seafood lovers and educators who are interested in learning more about the safety and sustainability associated with Florida’s fisheries and seafood industry. The goals of the scallop presentation are:

Increase your knowledge of basic scallop biology and ecology
Enhance your understanding of the trends, importance, and management of Florida’s scallop populations and fisheries
Make you more informed about the purchasing, storing, and handling of scallops

To view the recording, click HERE

We want to hear from you!
We would love to get your feedback about the presentation by completing a short evaluation. Your input helps us plan for future educational programs. To access the evaluation click HERE.

Recordings of Past Webinar in the Series

Click HERE if you would like to view the recordings of past webinars from this series.

Additional Scallop Resources

Florida Sea Grant: Recreational Scalloping in Florida

ISSC:Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference – Scallop handling and safety

FWC:Recreational Scalloping Survey

FDACS:Scallop Recipes

Don't Let Your Catch Spoil the Day

2012-06-04T22:10:00.000-04:00

As the fishing action heats up this summer, so inevitably do temperatures, which can spell trouble for an angler if he/she isn’t careful. Fish are highly perishable, and the methods by which anglers handle their catch from the time it is hooked until it is cooked can impact the quality of their meal.

Once a fish dies, irreversible spoilage begins. Enzymes and bacteria are responsible for this process. Enzymes that normally regulate a fish’s metabolism are left unchecked and start breaking down body cells. Fish caught while feeding may experience quicker rates of spoilage because digestive enzymes will already be active. A softening of flesh around the gut is often an indication of this process as enzymes quickly digest these tissues.

Bacterial growth in the body will accelerate as the fish decomposes. Fish may also become more susceptible to bacteria from the environment as the fish’s natural defenses are broken down. Exposure to the sun and Florida temperatures can quickly accelerate this process. One bacterium on a fish’s body can multiply into millions of bacteria within hours if conditions are right. This bacterial activity will contribute to the deterioration of the flesh. In fact, fresh fish flesh is practically odorless, but fishy odors associated with spoilage are the result of bacteria hard at work.

While it is impossible to completely prevent spoilage, anglers can reduce this process by properly chilling their catch. This also reduces health risks associated with warmer temperatures.

One of the most recommended chilling methods for recreational anglers is the use of a brine slush-ice mixture. This is accomplished by combining at least two parts ice to one part clean seawater in an insulated cooler. Fish will chill four to five times quicker in slush ice because it will be surrounded by 32°F slush water.

To maximize the chilling process, seafood specialists recommend using at least one pound of ice per pound of fish. Cover the bottom of a cooler with several inches of ice and then surround the entire fish with another layer of ice. When deciding on how much ice to bring, anglers should also take into account the length of their trip, the surrounding air and water temperature, and if possible, the type and size of fish being targeted. Crushed or flaked ice is recommended because of the greater amount of surface area in contact with the fish, which will result in quicker chilling rates. Larger pieces can tear or bruise the skin more easily, but is better than no ice at all.

As the ice melts, water will help wash bacteria away from the surface of the fish. Water should be drained periodically to help remove accumulated bacteria. Continue to add ice as needed to maintain the appropriate slush mix.

Bleeding and gutting a fish will also enhance the quality of fish destined for your plate. Bleeding a fish will improve muscle appearance and flavor, and can reduce the cooling time once a fish is put on ice. Gutting a fish helps to remove sources of bacteria and enzymes that can increase spoilage rates. It will also reduce chilling time because a significant amount of body weight is removed. Keep the entrails intact to avoid contamination with other parts of the body. Knives and cutting surfaces should be clean to minimize further contamination. Once the fish is gutted, rinse the cavity with clean water to remove any excess blood, slime or viscera and pack it in the ice. Keep in mind that legally, fish must be landed whole with head and tail intact.

What's in a Name? Acceptable Seafood Market Names

2012-05-22T10:30:00.000-04:00

As the demand for seafood continues to increase coupled with increased imported seafood, fraud and deception in seafood market has become more widespread in recent years. The flesh of many fish species is similar in taste and texture, which can make it difficult to identify species in fillet form, therefore, making it relatively easy to misidentify and substitute a one species for another.

Appropriate naming is a first, but crucial step of properly identifying fish and other types of seafood. Often one type of seafood might have several vernacular names or two or more species from the different regions might be called the same name. These types of inconsistencies only add to consumer’s confusion. To minimize these discrepancies the U.S. Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have compiled existing acceptable market names for imported and domestically available seafood. For example, even though basa (Pangasius bocourti) is a type of catfish imported from Vietnam, it is illegal in the U.S. to label this fish as “catfish” to avoid confusion with the domestically produced Ictaluridcatfish.

The FDA Guide to Acceptable Market Names for Food Fish Sold in Interstate Commerce (aka “The Fish List”)provides an authoritative source of common names to establish order in the marketplace and reduce consumer confusion. The lists reflects what the FDA considers the most appropriate market names for the identification and labeling of seafood, and is the agency’s primary guidance for naming seafood sold in the United States. According to the FDA,

An acceptable market name is a name that FDA recognizes as a suitable "statement of identity" in the labeling of a species. An acceptable market name fairly represents the identity of the species to U.S. consumers because it is not confusingly similar to the name of another species and because it is not otherwise misleading. An acceptable market name may be: (1) a "common or usual name" established by either a history of common usage in the U.S. or by regulation; (2) the "scientific common name"; or (3) more rarely, a name specifically coined as the market name for a species, e.g., "basa" is the market name coined for Pangasius bocourti).

Learning more about acceptable market names is an important first step for consumers to protect themselves against economic fraud. Below is a screen shot of the Seafood List. Click on the image to go and review the site.

References:

· Congressional Research Service-Seafood Marketing: Combating Fraud and Deception

· Guidance for Industry: The Seafood List - FDA's Guide to Acceptable Market Names for Seafood Sold in Interstate Commerce

Here is what the front page of the FDA Seafood List looks like. Notice it provides a description of what the different symbols mean.

Here is an example for what comes up when you search for "grouper." There are close to 60 species than can legally be labeled as grouper in the market place.

Reducing Your Risks in Aquaculture

2012-05-13T22:22:00.002-04:00

Last week my colleagues and I hosted an introduction to aquaculture workshop for individuals interested in starting up an aquaculture operation in Florida. One of the presentations, "The Pitfalls of Aquaculture: Disasters and Why they Occur" was given by Dr. Diego Valderrama with the University of Florida's Food and Resource Economics Department. I wanted to share some of the information he provided as its very useful for anyone interested in getting into aquaculture.

First off,
"Aquaculture is one strict farming business. The disorganized, the unprepared or the fainthearted need not apply. Aquaculture businesses are especially difficult because of the slim margins, burdensome government regulations, lengthy start-up time, live animal constraints, diseases, power outages, and fluctuating market prices. All who have succeeded have done so through hard work, long hours, significant investment and great personal sacrifice."

10 Steps to Reduce Your Risk of Investment in Aquaculture
Start your Operation with Enough Money- "Undercapitalization" is the number one cause of business failure. You must be prepared for unplanned expenses and unexpected losses.

Avoid Borrowing Money from Relatives and Friends- Do so at your own risk and only with a written legal agreement

Do a Market Study before Deciding which Species to Produce- Determine the range of species able to tolerate your proposed system and climate, of these which are most profitable, and of these which have willing buyers at your required price.

Study the Biology of the Species Before Deciding Which Species to Produce- After your market analysis, you must determine which of the more profitable species are within your capability and your systems constraints.

Avoid Spending Your Money on “Tomorrow’s Technology” Today- If a system sounds too good to be true, beware!

Seek Permits and Approvals before You Build Your Aquaculture Facility- It is to your advantage to know the rules before you design your system; make sure you do so. Apply the

rules during the design process, the species selection and your marketing plan.

Avoid Stocking Your Ponds to the Maximum During the First Years- Inexperienced aquaculturists often try to recapture every dime during the early years by stocking ponds as heavily as those done by experienced farmers. Do not do this! Lower stocking ratios mean smaller returns, but less risk, lower operating expenses and fewer catastrophes.

Avoid Producing Your Crop, then Trying to Market it- Production is only one facet of aquaculture. Marketing your crop should start before the first critter or plant enters the water.

Join Your State Aquaculture Association- Interacting with other aquaculturists will give you an opportunity to learn from others' mistakes, rather than just your own mistakes.

For more information about starting an aquaculture operation visit these useful sites:

Tiger Shrimp in the Gulf

2012-05-02T12:46:00.002-04:00

Image credit: Texas Sea Grant

A recent newsmaker around Florida and the Gulf has been the growing presence of the Black or Giant Tiger Prawn(GTP)-Penaeus mondon. I wanted to share some information I obtained from my colleagues with Texas Sea Grant so that you are better informed about this marine invasive species.

What We Know
•The GTP is a commonly cultured species and native to SE Asia.

•GTP is the second most widely cultured prawn species in the world. It was recently surpassed by the whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. In 2009, 770,000 tonnesof tigers were produced, with a total value of US$3,650,000,000.

•In 2010, Greenpeace added GTP to its seafood red list – "a list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries". The reasons given by Greenpeace were "destruction of vast areas of mangroves in several countries, over-fishing of juvenile shrimp from the wild to supply farms, and significant human rights abuses"

• Females can reach approximately 33 centimeters (13 in) long, but are typically 25–30 cm (10–12 in) long and weight 200–320 grams (7–11 oz); males are slightly smaller at 20–25 cm (8–10 in) long and weighing 100–170 g (3.5–6.0 oz) Larger specimens have been recently reported.

• An major theory of introduction is they were suspected to be cultured in the Dominican Republic and may have escaped there in 2005 when the ponds were breached during a hurricane. Other source theories are ballast water and intentional release.

• GTP are nocturnal and diurnal, aggressive, cannibalistic, competes with our native shrimp for food and habitat, and eats fish bivalves and possibly oysters.

• Several ~ 6” black tigers have been caught in the Gulf and on the East Coast leading us to believe it is reproducing.

• Shrimp farmers have reported an established population off Belize, but this is not scientifically documented.

Image credit Texas Sea Grant

History of Giant Tiger Shrimp in the U.S.

• South Carolina was raising them at the Waddell Mariculture Center in the late 1980s.

• An escape from the facility occurred and fishermen off the Carolinas began catching them in 1988.

•Many individuals were caught that same year and until 1991, as far south as St Augustine FL.

• No more catches were reported until 2006.

• Over 200 catches in the Gulf have been noted since 2006. The total actual catch now may be around a thousand individuals.

• This species has now been caught in all the Southeastern states from North Carolina to Texas.

Many Questions Still Exist

• Are GTP reproducing, where and what is the impact?

• Will GTP increase in population with climate change over time in the Southeast and Gulf of Mexico and if so, to what extent?

•Will they outcompete our native white, brown and pink species?

• Dr Tom Shirely with the Harte Research Institute is concerned the greatest impact will be post larval and juvenile tigers competing for food and habitat with our native Penaeids. He says they may impact trophic cascades, altering the food web’s predator – prey interactions. Further implications could be virus, disease, and possible parasite introductions from tigers to our natives.

• Will they impact shellfish production such as clams and oysters?

• Can anything be done to combat this exotic introduction?

What Can You Do?
If you see a GTP, REPORT IT!
Here in Florida, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has information on its website: FWC requests you report the size, date and location of the capture, preferably with the GPS coordinates, to Larry Connor at 352-357-2398 or ExoticReports@MyFWC.com. Fishermen also are asked to either keep the shrimp for collection or take photos of them for identification purposes

To learn more about the Giant Tiger Prawn click here

About Catch Shares

2012-04-19T21:12:00.001-04:00

Catch shares are one of the most talked about (and controversal) topics in the world of fisheries these days. Here in the Gulf of Mexico red snapper, grouper and tilefish fall under this unique management system. But what exactly are catch shares?

Megan Westmeyer, the Coordinator for the South Carolina Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Initiative recently wrote a very insightful and comprehensive article on catch shares in her quarterly newsletter "What's Cooking?" and I wanted to share it with you.

Catch Shares: Whose Fish are They?

Fishery management, or regulation of wild fish harvest to ensure we have more fish for the future, is a complicated subject with which most people are unfamiliar. It is important for chefs to understand fishery management because it affects the price, availability and seasonality of seafood products. Fisheries, the wild populations of fish and shellfish that we harvest for food and recreation, are a common property resource. They are “owned” jointly by everyone – everyone has a right to use these resources. Unfortunately, if everyone used as much as they wanted, whenever they wanted, marine fish and shellfish populations would collapse and there would not be enough seafood left for others or future generations. This is often called the tragedy of the commons – when an individual’s personal interest conflicts common property resources for the public good – to provide seafood now and in future generations. In the U.S., fishery management occurs at the state and federal levels, as well as internationally for highly migratory fish like tuna and swordfish.
Fishery management regulations typically take the form of limits on who can fish, when and where they can fish, what kind of gear can be used, how many fish can be caught, and how large the fish must be in order to be kept. These regulations are designed to ensure that enough of each species remain in the ocean each year to reproduce and yield future generations, so that we can continue to harvest indefinitely. Regulations are also designed to protect the ocean habitats and other species that are not of commercial or recreational interest but are required for the health of seafood populations. Many of the regulations do limit or deny access to these common property resources, but they are necessary to protect the resources for future generations. Scientific research is needed for successful fishery management. Scientists must collect a great deal of data, including biological information on the fish, information on what species and how much the fishermen catch (this is called “fishery dependent” data), scientific survey data on fish populations in the wild (this is called “fishery independent” data) and social and demographic data on the business aspects of the fishery. Next, scientists create mathematical models that simulate the fishery based on all the data that have been collected, and the model is used to project what the population is likely to do in the future if fishing continues. Those projections are used to determine how many fish can be caught each year and if any other restraints on harvest are needed (like minimum size limits to ensure that fish are mature and have had a chance to reproduce before they are harvested).
In addition, scientists also consider if there are habitats that are critical for the health of the population that need to be protected. One of the most effective ways to regulate a fishery is development of an Annual Catch Limit, often abbreviated as ACL. This limits the number of fish or pounds of fish that can be harvested each year from a particular population. After the ACL is harvested, the fishery is closed until the next year. This ensures there will be enough fish left to reproduce and create future generations. ACLs can be difficult to enforce because there are multiple boats fishing at the same time, often out at sea for days or weeks, and harvest reports can be delayed. In addition, fishermen are competing against one another in a race to capture a portion of the commonly held ACL, which can lead to very fast paced fisheries that only last a few months (this has become the case in both the local vermilion snapper and golden tilefish fisheries). The government does try to track harvest levels in a timely manner, but overharvests do occur.
There is a type of fishery management regulation, called a Catch Share (or Individual Quota), which can reduce or eliminate this overharvest. Catch Shares are being implemented around the country and chefs and consumers may begin to hear more about this type of management. A Catch Share program is not a biological control on fishing (like an Annual Catch Limit); it is a method of allocating the Annual Catch Limit to specific fishermen. Instead of all fishermen competing against one another in a race to catch part of the commonly held ACL, often called derby fishing, each fisherman is allocated a specific percentage of the ACL. As the ACL changes, the actual poundage allocated to each fisherman will change accordingly. If the ACL goes up, each fisherman gets to catch more based on their percentage, or share, of the catch; if the ACL goes down, everyone has to catch less. Catch Shares are controversial because they allocate a public resource to private individuals. This allocation, by law, is not a “right” (something which cannot be taken away), but it does give individuals long-term, exclusive access to a common property resource. In some cases Catch Shares are treated as property rights, being bought and sold, used as collateral for loans, left to heirs, etc. This is an advantage for those who hold shares, but can make it difficult and expensive for new or young fishermen to get shares and enter a fishery. One of the most difficult aspects of implementing a new Catch Share system is determining how the initial allocations will be made. Typically allocations are based on catch histories – but during what time frame? In fisheries that are depleted, fishermen who were historically active may have chosen to avoid a specific fish for the last 10 years in order to help it recover, while some other fishermen continued to target it. However, if a new Catch Share system allocation only considers the last 10 years (as the current fishermen, who might have a greater say, would likely advocate), those fishermen who sacrificed to achieve conservation goals could be eliminated from the fishery.
Ecological Aspects
Catch Shares can reduce overharvest by simplifying accountability in a fishery. Because each fisherman, or each boat, knows exactly how much they are allowed to catch each year, overharvests are less common and individuals can be held accountable if overages occur. There are other methods of preventing overharvest, such as real-time reporting of harvest, but they can be complicated and expensive (though the same can be said of implementing Catch Shares). Catch Shares can give fishermen a strong investment in the sustainability of the ocean because they are guaranteed a return – in other words, Catch Shares tie economic incentives to environmental protection. One of the other advantages touted by Catch Share proponents is that fish populations rebuild faster and are maintained at healthier sizes when fishermen are not racing to compete with each other. Fishermen reduce the amount of fish that are discarded by improving their fishing methods and reduce their impact on the ecosystem if they are able to use less gear and avoid sensitive habitat areas. Opponents of Catch Share systems claim that there are other methods of achieving all of these same results, without privatizing a fishery. In addition, fishermen in Catch Share systems may practice “high grading” – discarding of a less valuable item (because of size or quality) that has already been harvested, when a more valuable item of the same species is caught later in the fishing trip. Because they are no longer in a race to compete with others, they can take more time to seek out the highest value fish, crabs etc. and discard the less valuable ones before they return to shore and report their harvest.
Social Aspects
Proponents also claim that Catch Shares result in full-time, stable, and higher-paying commercial fishing jobs. This can occur when the fishery is initially in a state of overcapacity – meaning that there are more fishermen in the industry than can be supported full-time by the allowed amount of harvest. Some fishermen are part-time fishers and have to supplement their income by working in other fisheries or other industries. When a Catch Share system is implemented, those part-time fishermen receive a small amount of quota and often end up selling their shares to other fishermen, naturally reducing the capacity in the fishery and allowing other fishermen to have more stable, possibly full-time employment, with higher earnings.
While this may create a full-time fishery that can regularly supply our communities with seafood, it also results in unemployment for some fishermen. In addition, “permit stacking” can consolidate the quota into even fewer hands, including absentee owners who merely employee captains and crews to fish their shares. Permit stacking occurs when, in advance of Catch Share system implementation, some fishermen or corporations buy multiple permits (which bring catch histories with them) to “stack” on one larger boat instead of multiple smaller boats with one permit each. This stacking greatly increases the allocation they will receive even though they did not actually catch all those fish. When shares become consolidated in this manner, some captains and crew lose their jobs because fewer boats are needed to harvest the annual catch. Catch Share systems can be implemented with caps on consolidation. But if fishermen or corporations have acquired multiple permits before the Catch Share is implemented they may already hold a large portion of the quota, resulting in a higher threshold. Proponents also tout the safety benefits of Catch Shares programs. Safety has been a problem under open access systems. Fishermen continue to fish in poor weather and forego sleep to a dangerous extent, because they are in a race against the clock and their peers. When each fisherman is allocated a quota there is less incentive to fish in hazardous conditions.
Economic Aspects
Another advantage of Catch Share systems is that fishermen can maximize the value of their catch by fishing whenever market prices are high. Under open access fisheries, where fishermen are competing with one another, large quantities of fish are often landed at the same time, overwhelming the market and lowering prices. A Catch Share system is likely to spread out the fishing season over many months, keeping prices high throughout. Of course, in fisheries that are competing with foreign imports, domestic supply and demand does not necessarily dictate the price and Catch Shares may not translate to any extra value. Even if Catch Shares do result in higher prices for fish, these gains can be offset by increased costs associated with obtaining shares if the initial allocation is inadequate. There is often high demand for shares and prices can be very high. This can put small owner-operated permit holders at a disadvantage if they do not have the cash, or are unwilling or unable to borrow money to buy shares. Share-holders may also lease their shares to other fishermen, instead of selling. But lease prices also can be high, and create a large additional expense. Fishermen who lease quota are not able to charge more for their fish than anyone else, so crew salaries are often reduced instead.
In 2010 Timothy Essington, at the University of Washington, conducted a comprehensive, objective evaluation of Catch Share systems in North America. His study tested the hypothesis that catch share programs lead to improved ecological stewardship and production capacity of the fishery. He examined changes in population size, fishing pressure, the type of gear used, discard rate, compliance with quotas and harvest amount. He found that the average levels of all of these factors were largely unresponsive to catch share management – population status, harvest amount, and fishing pressure did not change in a consistent manner when Catch Shares were implemented. Where he did find evidence of change was in the year to year variation in fishing pressure, compliance with quotas, harvest amount and discards.
In other words, Catch Shares did not necessarily improve the ecological sustainability of fisheries but did bring social and economic stability to those who remained in the fishery. Catch Shares have been proposed for the South Atlantic snapper and grouper fishery because the reduced quotas and constant opening and closing of seasons make it difficult for fishermen to make a steady living. In addition, there are more snapper grouper fishing permits available than can be supported at sustainable levels of fishing (overcapacity exists). A number of those permits are not actively fished – these are called latent permits – or not fished on a regular basis (the permit holder is not making a living catching and selling snapper and grouper). Unfortunately, in order to maintain a commercial fishery where professional fishermen are making a steady living some of these latent or irregularly used permits need to be retired. This has happened in many fisheries in the United States and around the world. In some cases, the government buys back the permits and retires them. Catch Shares are being promoted as a way of letting market forces reduce this overcapacity. But these latent or irregularly fished permits do have fishing history associated with them, thus if a Catch Share was implemented they would be allocated a percentage of the catch. Other active fishermen would then have to buy or lease these shares, increasing costs and reducing profits and wages. One of the major advantages of implementing a Catch Share system in the snapper grouper fishery would be the decreased likelihood of early fishing season closures when Annual Catch Limits are met. It is possible that there would be a more steady supply of local seafood, spread more evenly over the seasons. It is difficult to foresee all the future effects of a Catch Share system. Over two decades ago, a Catch Share system was implemented for the U.S. wreckfish fishery. But the program had an unanticipated result. The managers did not realize that many of the permit holders would stop fishing, instead holding the permits and effectively preventing anyone else from fishing. Now, the ACL for the wreckfish fishery has been drastically reduced because of new mathematical modeling techniques that call for a lower harvest than previously thought necessary. But because Catch Shares are allocated as percentages, the active fishermen will no longer receive enough quota to make a living. A new regulation has been proposed to revoke the shares held by inactive fishermen and award them to active fishermen, but there is no guarantee this regulation will be passed or become effective in time to preserve the livelihoods of the active fishermen.
There are numerous advantages and disadvantages to Catch Share systems. They are not a cure for everything that ails fisheries and can bring substantial drawbacks, but there can be substantial benefits as well. Fishery managers have known for a long time that we do not manage fish; we manage fishermen in a vital and dynamic system of food production. A Catch Share system must be designed very carefully, and only if supported by the fishermen who would be affected. Yet, we must acknowledge that we cannot predict every impact and there may be unforeseen complications, thus systems need to be designed with flexibility and modified if necessary.

If you would like to receive Megan's "What's Cooking?" quarterly newsletter email her at:
mwestmeyer@scaquarium.org

To view which fisheries in the United States are under catch share programs visit:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/domes_fish/catchshare/catchshare_region.htm

Recording: Florida's Mackerel Fishery Webinar

2012-04-11T21:42:00.000-04:00

Did you know Florida's commercial fishermen landed over nine million pounds of king and Spanish mackerel in 2010 with an estimated dockside over over $11 million dollars? Did you know that mackerel is a rich source of vitamins and minerals such as selenium, niacin, and B12, and that its a lean fish with dark meat and full flavor?If you would like to learn more about mackerel check out the recording of my colleague and I's brown bag webinar on Florida's mackerel fishery. The goals of the webinar are:

1.Increase your knowledge of basic mackerel biology and ecology
2.Enhance your understanding of the trends, importance, and management of Florida’s mackerel fisheries
3.Make you a more informed consumer in the purchasing and handling of mackerel

To access the recording of the webinar click HERE

The program we use is called Blackboard Collaborate. To make sure you have the necessary software to view and listen to the webinar, please visit: http://support.blackboardcollaborate.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8336&task=knowledge&questionID=1251

Recordings of Past Webinars

To view previous webinars in the Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series

http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/environment/sea_grant_seafood.shtml

Additional Mackerel Resources
FDA : What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish (Brochure)http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm110591.htm

NJ Sea Grant: Ice Your Fish: Help prevent Scombrotoxin Poisoning (Brochure)
http://www.jerseyseafood.nj.gov/IceYourFishBrochure.pdf

NOAA Fisheries: Making Sense of Mackerel
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/MakingSenseofMakerel.htm

2012-2013 Florida Aquaculture Plan Finalized

2012-04-09T08:13:00.001-04:00

Did you know that Florida ranks number one in the United States for diversity of products produced through aquaculture? According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Florida growers produce over 1500 varieties of aquacultured products such as tropical ornamental fish, aquatic plants, clams, shrimp, alligators, tilapia, catfish, live rock, and a variety of other aquatic species. These products are produced for both the food and nonfood markets including seafood, freshwater and marine aquarium hobby, high fashion leather, water gardening, bait, biological control, and seed for national and international aquaculturists to culture, and have an estimated economic impact of over $250 million.

In an effort to support and enhance Florida's aquaculture industry the Aquaculture Review Council, an advisory committee to FDACS recently finalized the 2012-2013 Florida Aquaculture Plan. The plan describes research and development priorities which, if addressed, could lead to the creation of new agribusinesses, greater employment opportunities for Floridians, and increased income for aquacultured producers. The following projects were identified a top research priorities in Florida:

· Commercialization of Florida Pompano Production in Inland Re-circulating Systems - Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University

· Pilot-scale Comparison of Three Methods for Controlling Off-Flavor in Re-circulating Aquaculture Systems for Food Fish Production - Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University

· Removal of Off-Flavor Compounds in Aquaculture Food Products: Optimizing New Techniques for Sustainable Aquaculture Systems – University of South Florida

· Aquaculture in Action: Enhancing the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum for Novice Teachers – Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University and University of Florida

· Development and Evaluation of Goggle Eye Grow-out Methods and Feeds Using Recirculating Aquaculture Systems to Service the Florida Sportfishing Industry – University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

· Integrated Aquaculture of Marine Fish and Plants for Food and Restoration Using High and

· Low Salinity Re-circulating Systems - Mote Marine Laboratory, Center for Aquaculture Research and Development

To view the entire 2012-2013 Florida Aquaculture Plan visit: http://floridaaquaculture.com/publications/aquaplan.pdf

Putting a Dent in Derelict Crab Traps

2012-04-01T22:33:00.001-04:00

The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) supports one of Florida’s top commercial fisheries in terms of pounds harvested and dockside value. Florida’s blue crab fishery operates almost exclusively in state waters and crabs are predominantly harvested using wire crab traps or pots. For decades Florida’s fishermen have annually harvested millions of pounds of the popular crustacean and in recent years have netted, on average, $8.5 million each year (1). While blue crabs are also harvested by recreational fishermen, managers do not have estimates of recreational landings although it suspected to be substantial (2).
Despite management efforts in recent years by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to limit the number of commercial crab traps per endorsement holder, derelict traps, or traps that are no longer being actively fished, continue to occur in Florida’s waters and cause problems.

Why are derelict crab traps a problem? Derelict traps can have several negative environmental and economic impacts. One of the more prominent environmental impacts is "ghost fishing" or fishing that continues despite the traps not being actively fished. Blue crab traps are typically made of vinyl-coated wire mesh that can have a life expectancy of several years depending on the surrounding conditions and thickness of wire gauge used. Traps will continue ghost fishing until they break down enough for bycatch to escape. These events can result in high mortality rates of trapped crabs and lost revenue for fishermen.

While traps are effective at capturing crabs, they do not discriminate against different sized crabs that enter them. Therefore, traps in Florida are required to have at least three unobstructed escape rings installed in them to allow sublegal crabs to escape.

However, ghost fishing does not only affect crabs. Several recreationally and commercially important species such as red and black drum, sea trout, flounder, and a variety of invertebrates have been found in crab traps (3). Drowning in derelict crab traps has also been shown to be a major threat to diamondback terrapin populations. In addition, traps and accompanying line can serve as hazards to dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles through entanglement, and damage sensitive seagrass and coral reef communities.

Location of traps also plays a factor in ghost fishing rates. Derelict traps can move around a lot and can cause damage to unintended benthic habitats. Most crab traps are placed in estuarine waters near productive habitats such as seagrasses, oyster beds, and mangroves which harbor a high diversity of species. Ghost fishing is more likely to occur in these areas than in more barren areas when left for long periods of time (3).

Besides the environmental damage they can cause, derelict traps are unsightly can pose as navigation hazards to both commercial and recreational vessels. Traps and buoy lines can damage propeller shafts and fishing gear resulting in costly repairs, and lost fishing opportunities. Derelict traps may also escalate conflicts between different user groups such as crabbers and shrimpers or recreational fishermen due to the damage they can incur (3).

How do traps become derelict? There are numerous reasons why traps may become derelict. Often hundreds of commercial traps are deployed at a time and the gear is left unattended. Visitors and seasonal residents may also put out traps during their stay, but forget to pull them before they leave. As a result, the gear is more prone to loss and abandonment. In addition, traps may be inappropriately disposed of or intentionally abandoned by both commercial and recreational crabbers. Traps may also be displaced by storms, tides, and currents, and struck by boat propellers or vandalized. By remaining vigilant, boaters can help reduce the number of trap lines that are run over and cut, thus adding to Florida’s derelict crab trap problem.

Who can remove derelict traps?
Legally, the state of Florida has very specific definitions of what constitutes a derelict crab trap to protect them from being improperly removed. Crab traps are protected by law, and it is a third degree felony to tamper with someone else’s traps (or their content), lines, or buoys. Perpetrators can also face fines up to $5,000 and have their fishing privileges revoked. According to State Rule 68B- 55.001 a derelict trap is:

1) Any trap present during the closed season for that species
2) A fishable trap in the open fishing season that lacks more than two of the following items: buoy, buoy line, current FWC-issued trap tag (commercial) or identification (recreational), and current license.
Only individuals participating in an organized trap removal program and who have an authorized permit from FWC may handle and remove derelict traps even if it is apparent the traps are not being actively fished. FWC routinely contracts with commercial fishermen to remove blue crab, stone crab, and lobster traps left in the water during the corresponding closed season as part of a State-lead trap retrieval program.

Blue Crab Trap Closures:
To help facilitate efforts to identify and retrieve lost and abandoned blue crab traps in Florida, FWC established regional closed seasons in 2009 for the blue crab fishery. The regional closures last up to 10 days, extend out to three miles offshore and apply to both commercial and recreational free standing traps (blue crab traps attached to private property such as docks are excluded from the closure). All commercial and recreational traps left in state waters during the closures are subject to removal by authorized personal. Since 2010 the regional closures alternate every year with closures on Florida’s east coast occurring during the even numbered years and closures on the west coast, including Broward and Miami-Dade counties, occurring on the odd years (4).

How can you help?
If you suspect a trap is derelict or witness illegal tampering of traps, contact FWC law enforcement at: 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). Please provide the location ( GPS coordinates if possible) and condition of the trap to authorities.

References:
1. Florida’s Commercial Blue Crab Fishery-Managing Harvest with Output Controls: http://fw.oregonstate.edu/pdfs/FL_BlueCrabFishery_Sempsrott.pdf
2. FWC-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. A Stock Assessment for Blue Crab, Callinectes sapidus, in Florida Waters; http://www.fwc.state.fl.us/media/316334/StockAssessment2007.pdf
3. Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission: The Blue Crab Fishery of Gulf of Mexico: http://www.gsmfc.org/publications/GSMFC%20Number%20096.pdf
4. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Commercial Regulations for blue crab: http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/commercial/bluecrab/