CHAPTER 7 

 THE ESTUARY AS A RESOURCE 



7.1. FISHERIES 



There ^re relatively few studies of 

 fisheries in the Apalachicola River 

 system. Early surveys (Cox and Auth, 

 1^70-1973) of the upoer Apalachicola River 

 noted increasing stress to various species 

 of fishes as a result of physical 

 alterations such as damminq, dredqing, and 

 eutrophication. Studies of striped bass 

 (Barkuloo 1967, 1970; Crateau et al. 1981) 

 indicated that, be^'ore the construction of 

 the Jim Woodruff Dam (1955) at the 

 confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee 

 Rivers, there was a viable sport fishery 

 for striped bass in the Apalachicola 

 River. Since that time, the striped bass 

 fishery has declined "drastically." The 

 dams in Georgia (Figure 4), together with 

 dredging and spoil deposition along the 

 upoer Apalachicola River, have eliminated 

 spawning grounds in the Flint and 

 Chattahoochee Rivers. Pesticides from 

 agricultural runoff and industrial 

 effluents (Livingston I'^SAb) are also 

 suspected of reducing these populations. 

 The native Gulf of Mexico race of striped 

 bass, once widespread throughout the 

 rivers of the northern gul''', is now 

 limited to a small population in the 

 Apalachicola River. Recent stocking of 

 Atlantic coast striped bass has further 

 diluted the gulf strain and has resulted 

 in only limited success (Crateau et al . 

 1981). Wooley and Crateau (1<383) conclude 

 that the native Apalachicola striped bass 

 represent the only existing remnant of a 

 population that historically was present 

 in numerous Gulf of Mexico drainages. For 

 this reason, the authors recommend 

 conservation of the existing stock as a 

 "gene bank." 



A commercial catfish fishery still 

 exists along the Apalachicola River. 



However, Miller et al. (1977) cite studies 

 that related snagging (i.e., stump removal 

 from the river bed for navigation) to the 

 decline of the commercial catfish harvest 

 from the river. This activity, together 

 with the massive excavation and 

 maintenance activities associated with 

 nagivation projects (Figure 44), has 

 reduced or modified the riverine habitat 

 substantially (Miller et al . 1977). 

 Recent studies of the Apalachicola River 

 (Ager et al . 1984) indicate that sand bars 

 and spoil disposal sites are now common 

 throughout the river; in the upper river, 

 the gently sloping natural bank habitat 

 has become "scarce" because of dredging 

 activities over the past 30 years (Ager et 

 al. 1984). It has been projected that, 

 because of such habitat alterations, the 

 fish species composition will continue to 

 shift from game species (characteristic of 

 natural habitats) to rough and forage 

 species (characteristic of sand-bar 

 habitats). This loss of habitat has also 

 been associated with the recent decline of 

 the sturqeon fishery. Accordinq to recent 

 studies (Wooley and Crateau 1982), Florida 

 sturgeon landings in the Apalachicola 

 River have declined raoidly (U.S. 

 Department of Commerce 1976 landing 

 statistics) relative to neiqhboring gulf- 

 coast rivers. The fishery effectively 

 ended in 1^70 when only five fish were 

 taken. The Apalachicola sturgeon 

 copulation appears to be in trouble, 

 although it is believed that at least a 

 relict sturqeon population still remains 

 in the Apalachicola River. Recently, 

 Wooley et al. (li^B?) reported the first 

 recorded capture of a larval gulf sturgeon 

 about 3.3 km below the Jim Woodruff Dam in 

 May, 1977. Wooley and Crateau (1982) 

 reported that relatively few sturgeon 

 (35-40) were harvested by angling during 

 1981. An important spawning area has been 



99 



