Biological-Statistical Census of the Species 



Entering Fisheries in the 



Cape Canaveral Area 



By 



WILLIAM W, ANDERSON and JACK W, GEHRINGER 



Fishery Biologists (Research) 



Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Biological Laboratory 



Brunswick, Ga. 



ABSTRACT 



For its size, the Cape Canaveral Area is one of the most productive of any along 

 the south Atlantic coast of the United States. A great deal of this productivity relates 

 to the unique river-lagoon connplex. 



Material is presented under six sections: The commercial fisheries, recrea- 

 tional fishery, fish taken incidental to shrimp trawling, fish and general invertebrate 

 groups taken during exploratory fishing, zooplankton organisms, dip net and trolling 

 collections. 



The commercial fisheries produced an average of over 6 million pounds, 

 valued at about $1 million over the 4-year period 1959-62. Eight species (shrimp, 

 black mullet, spotted sea trout, red snapper, blue crab, spot, pompano, and king 

 whiting) contributed 91 percent of the weight and 94 percent of the value--shrimp, 

 the most valuable fishery, was 23 percent of the weight and 54 percent of the value. 



We estimate that the annual sport fishery catch is about 3 million fish weighing 

 a total of about 3.2 million pounds. Nine species (in decreasing order of importance), 

 spotted sea trout, pinfish, puffers, sea trout (other), catfish, king whiting, sheeps- 

 head, bluefish, and croaker, account for 76 percent of the total numbers of fish 

 taken and 73 percent of the pounds. Spotted sea trout, the most important sport fish, 

 represented 20 percent of the total numbers of fish and 33 percent of the weight. 

 Estimates of annual total effort of sports fishermen are about 754,000 fishermen 

 fishing about 2,749,000 hours. Fishing effort during spring, summer, and fall is 

 about equal, but is reduced in winter to about half the value for other seasons. Total 

 catch is highest during winter and spring, and lowest in summer. 



Summaries of life histories are given for several of the more innportant 

 species. 



INTRODUCTION 



The U.S. Atonnic Energy Commiission, be- 

 cause of concentrated activities related to 

 missile and rocket firings and experimentation 

 at Cape Canaveral, Fla.,-*^ desired knowledge 

 of the various species entering both the 

 connmercial and recreational fisheries in- 

 cluding seasonal abundance, value, effort, 

 summaries of available knowledge on life 

 histories, and related information. The 

 Bureau of Connmercial Fisheries was re- 

 quested to do the work, and this was 

 acconnplished under Agreement AT (49-7)- 

 2239 with the U.S. Atomic Energy Com- 

 nnission. 



•"■Cape Canaveral was renamed Cape Kennedy after this 

 report was completed. 



The study area, designated the Cape Canav- 

 eral Area, is on the central east coast of 

 Florida and extends from approximately 

 28O00' N. (Melbourne) to 29O10' N. (just north 

 of Ponce de Leon Inlet) (fig. 1). It embraces 

 most of Brevard and Volusia counties and 

 includes a small portion of Halifax River, 

 Mosquito Lagoon, upper portion of the Indian 

 River, Banana River, and coastal waters from 

 the coastline to the edge of the Continental 

 Shelf (100 fathoms). Ponce de Leon Inlet, at 

 the northern end of the area, is the only 

 opening between the ocean and the inside 

 waters. Location, configuration, and extent 

 of Halifax River, Mosquito Lagoon, Indian 

 River, Banana River, and land masses con- 

 taining them are shown in figure 2. 



