Escalation of trapping intensity has created demands that cannot be 

 satisfied by supplies of traditional baits. Some fishermen have adopted the 

 practice of baiting traps with live undersized lobsters. Because lobsters 

 are gregarious, traps containing undersized lobsters will catch about three 

 times more lobsters than empty traps or traps using other baits. The practice 

 of transporting "shorts" aboard vessels to bait traps was allowed by State 

 statute several years ago. The Florida Keys lobster fishery currently 

 attempts to maintain more than 1 million shorts as bait in traps. 



Recent FDNR research indicates that the practice of baiting traps with 

 shorts may cause about 20% mortality. Mortality as high as 40% has been 

 reported for bait lobsters held out of the water for 4 hours. Similar 

 exposure-related mortality among shorts held in sorting boxes has been 

 reported from western Australia. Holding in traps also leads to weight loss 

 from starvation and may expose survivors to increased predator-related 

 mortality (e.g., octopus). The practice of baiting with shorts in Florida 

 may seriously reduce catch potentials. 



The source of recruitment for Florida's spiny lobster stocks remains 

 unproved. Several theories espouse either recruitment from local stocks or 

 transport of larvae to Florida from Caribbean sources. The latter seems more 

 likely considering the oceanic environment and length of time necessary to 

 transit the larval period. Appropriate current patterns exist to accomplish 

 such Caribbean transport. Extended spwawning periods in the Caribbean may 

 explain year-round Florida recruitment. Finally, recent studies indicate 

 spawning potential of the Florida population to be reduced 88% from that of a 

 "natural" population, yet there is little indication of decline in recruitment 

 to Florida stocks, as might occur if recruitment were dependent upon local 

 spawning. 



The Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Fishery Management Plan 

 reports that potential Florida lobster landings should be twice as great as 

 the 1980 landings. About 20% to 40% of this difference may be accounted for 

 by unreported but legal commercial and sport landings. 



Other Shellfish (Invertebrates) 



In Southwest Florida blue crab, stone crab, pink shrimp, and rock shrimp 

 make up over 95% of the total invertebrate catch. The only other invertebrate 

 species taken are hard clams, bay and calico scallops, conchs, and sponges. 

 Because of greater concern over the sponge fishery, less restrictive legisla- 

 tion has been proposed to aid in its recovery. The sponge industry had 

 declined primarily because of competition with cheap plastic sponges but 

 diseases, restrictive fishing regulations, and high costs of production con- 

 tribute to increased rates. Members of the sponge industry believe that 

 removal of some of the old non-biological ly based laws will help restore the 

 fishery. 



Publications relevant to the Florida shellfish fishery and the biological 

 characteristics of several species are in the list of references. 



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