1954 to 1980. In 1960, the ratio of resident freshwater fishing licenses 

 issued to the population in Southwest Florida was six licenses per 100 resi- 

 dents. By 1980, the ratio had decreased to two per 100 residents. The demand 

 for freshwater fishing in Southwest Florida is expected to increase about 

 29.5% (from 1.8 million to 2.3 million fishing trips per year) from 1980 to 

 1990. Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties will contribute about 75% of 

 the demand in the near future. 



The National Marine Fisheries Service (U.S. Department of Commerce 1980) 

 provided most of the following saltwater sport fishing statistics for the gulf 

 coast including Florida. Major saltwater sport species by catch are spotted 

 seatrout ( Cynoscion nebulosis ), Atlantic croaker ( Micropogonias undulatus ), 

 pinfish ( Lagodon rhomboides ), striped mullet ( Mugil ~ephalus ),~~a"nd sand sea- 

 trout ( Cynoscion arenarius ). Seabass also is a popular species. In the Flor- 

 ida gulf area, there were 9,530,000 fishing trips, of which 7,280,000 were by 

 coastal residents, 27,000 by noncoastal residents, and 2,233,000 by out-of- 

 state tourists. The estimated number of saltwater fishing trips in the 

 Florida gulf area was 2,146,000, of which 1,243,000 were coastal residents, 

 5,000 noncoastal residents, and 898,000 tourists. The average annual number 

 of trips per year per licensed fishermen was 5.9 for coastal residents, 5.4 

 for noncoastal residents, 2.4 for tourists; 4.4 for all. The average fishing 

 trip lasted 3.8 hours and cost $10.20. In 1980, the average saltwater fisher- 

 man fished 16.9 hours, spent $45.29, and traveled 248 miles. 



Annual capital expenditures for manufacturing, wholesale, and retail 

 trades for tackle, boats, motors, and trailers was $1,225 million (U.S. 

 Department of Commerce 1980). A recent decline in the total catch and catch 

 per unit of effort by sport fishermen suggests possible overfishing in some 

 areas. Most sport fishermen are restricted to inshore waters because their 

 boats are too small for the sea. Southwest Florida is characterized by boats 

 that cater to tourists. 



Spiny lobsters, the major commercial species, are taken during the regu- 

 lar commercial spiny lobster season, and by sport fishermen during the special 

 two-day sport season on 20-21 July (according to the Fishery Management Plan 

 of April 1981). An estimated 2,478 boats with 7,607 divers caught 15,190 

 lobsters in Monroe County. The estimated sport catch from boats was about 

 448,000 pounds per year. Based on recent tagging studies, the sport catch of 

 spiny lobster made up 9% of the total catch. Daily expenditures for spiny 

 lobster fishing were $45 to $60 for interior county fishermen and $18 to $27 

 for coastal county fishermen. In 1975, divers for spiny lobsters spent $3.1 

 directly and $4.2 million indirectly for supplies, equipment, food, and 

 travel. The income from those lobsters sold by divers was between $500,000 

 and $600,000. A conservative estimate of the number of employees associated 

 with the spiny lobster fishery was about 1,700. 



About 10.5 million saltwater fishing trips were made in Southwest Florida 

 in 1980 and about 12 million are expected in 1985 and 13.222 million in 1990 

 (Tables R/T 8-16 in the Data Appendix) for an increase of 26.4%. In 1980, the 

 ratio of the demand for saltwater fishing to the total population (demand 

 factor) was 84 trips per 100 people. 



A study of the structure and economics of the pay-boat fisheries of the 

 Florida gulf coast and the Keys from Pensacola to Key West was made by Browder 



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