COMMERCIAL FISHERIES 



Fishing along Northwest Florida began as a subsistance fishery centuries 

 ago. Extensive shell middens attest to the importance of fish and shellfish 

 in the Indian's diet. Although fishermen early in this century were adequate- 

 ly equipped with boats, equipment, and gear such as beach seines, gill nets, 

 and shrimp trawls, inadequate transportation and storage and preservation fa- 

 cilities prevented large scale production. A day's catch usually was limited 

 to the amount that could be sold the same or next day. Today's modern fishing 

 industry with its complex of vessels, electronic equipment, freezing and stor- 

 age facilities, transportation, and marketing systems bears little resemblance 

 to its predecessors. A major holdout is the oyster industry. Approximately 

 90% of Florida's oyster production is supplied by Franklin County (Apalachi- 

 cola Bay) where, by law, the major fishing method (hand-operated oyster tongs) 

 has not changed in three generations. But, even here, improved regulations 

 and industrial operations have brought about improvements in processing, stor- 

 age, and transportion. 



Because of rapidly rising food prices, the fishing industry is broadening 

 its base by fishing for less acceptable and less expensive fish and by prepar- 

 ing new products. Examples are schooling fish (especially mullet, croaker, 

 trout, and redfish) caught by gill nets in estuaries and nearshore waters. 



A recent survey conducted by the Bureau of Marketing and Extensive Ser- 

 vices of the Florida Department of Natural Resources gives data on the econo- 

 mics of the fishermen, the fishery, the markets, and other socioeconomic 

 trends. A survey of 142 wholesale and retail seafood markets in north Flor- 

 ida, south Georgia, and south Alabama documented the importance of low priced, 

 net-caught fish in ethnic diets, particularly for Blacks, but the public's 

 attitude toward net fishing is becoming increasingly negative. Fishing 

 restrictions prohibiting nets will disproportionately affect particular ethnic 

 groups. 



FISHERY RESOURCES OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA 



Although over one hundred species of finfishes and shellfish are caught 

 by commercial and sport fishermen in the Northwest Florida, information on 

 sport fish catches is scanty. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 

 conducted interviews and telephone surveys to determine the magnitude of the 

 sport catch in the United States (Deuel and Clark 1965, Deuel 1970, U.S. De- 

 partment of Commerce 1975). A creel census by the Florida Department of Nat- 

 ural Resources measured the sport catch in Choctawhatchee Bay in Okaloosa and 

 Walton Counties. Attempts are now underway to establish continuing commercial 

 and sport catch statistics through State/Federal cooperative agreements. 



In Florida as in most places, sport fishermen and commercial fishermen 

 seek the same species. The exceptions in Florida are sail fish ( Istiophorus 

 pi atypterus ) , tarpon ( Meqalops atl anticus ), snook ( Centropomus undecimal is JT 

 and bonefish ( Albula vul pes ) which are illegal to sell. Sometimes, there is 

 strong competition between sport fishermen and commercial fishemen for the 

 same fish stocks and the same fishing grounds. For some species, sport 

 catches equal or exceed commercial landings. The catch and value of commer- 



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