habitat, and even the improvement of natural areas, have been made possible 

 through extensive research and should be a prime consideration in marine re- 

 source management. 



SPORT FISHERIES 



A clear definition of a sport and a commercial fisherman and their simi- 

 larities and differences sometimes are highly debatable. There are commercial 

 fishermen who fish for pleasure and sport fishermen who sell their catch. 

 Often they both seek the same species and fish the same spawning grounds. 

 Among the fishes that cannot be sold legally, no matter how they are caught, 

 are sail fish, tarpon, snook, and bonefish. Most mullet and shrimp are taken 

 commercially, but even these sometimes are caught by sport fishermen that use 

 small seines, gill nets, and cast nets. The sport catch of some of the most 

 favored fish species sometimes equals or exceeds the commercial catch. Com- 

 pared to most, states, the economic value of the sport fishery in Florida is 

 unusually high. 



In Florida, there are more than 500,000 registered boats, many of which 

 are used by sport fishermen and 36 million annual tourists, many of whom go 

 sport fishing. Major sport fishes are king and Spanish mackerel, grouper, red 

 snapper, spotted seatrout, redfish, cobia, flounder, and whiting. Large num- 

 bers of other species also are caught. 



A 12-month creel census in Choctawhatchee Bay revealed that although 

 speckled sea trout was one of the most popularly sought fish, fin fish were 

 most abundant in landings. Offshore catches were highest for king mackerel 

 and red snapper. In Choctawhatchee Bay, head and charter boat fishing 

 accounted for 50% of the fishermen and 75% of the sport catch, whereas sport 

 fishing from shore, piers, and private boats accounted for only 35% of the 

 sport fishermen and 16.4% of the catch. Tourists comprised 95% of the fisher- 

 men using party and charter boats. In recent years, more fishing has been 

 directed toward sail fish and the larger bill fish in the DeSota Canyon where 

 depths range from 40 to 100 fathoms (240 to 600 ft). Shark fishing also has 

 become more popular. Fishing tournaments and contests for sport fish are 

 common along the Florida coast. 



BAIT INDUSTRY 



The great increase in sport and commercial fishing since about 1958 has 

 created a high demand for natural bait. Almost any species can be cut up and 

 used for bait, but only a few enter the trade in large quantity. Favorite 

 baits are squid, shrimp, mullet, ballyhoo, halfbeaks, herring, cigar minnows, 

 lady fish, and goggle eyes. With the exception of shrimp, most of the bait is 

 sold dead, either fresh or frozen. Silver mullet, ballyhoo, and some of the 

 herrings are caught for bait in commercial gears. Some are sold whole, espe- 

 cially for sailfish, billfish, and king mackerel fishing. The majority are 

 sold to party and charter boat anglers and the success of the trip often 

 depends on the availability of the proper bait. 



The most valuable and useful bait is live shrimp. In Florida, shrimping 

 for bait is conducted primarily in the nursery grounds and is permitted in lo- 



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