RECREATIONAL FISHERY OF THE CAPE CANAVERAL AREA 



With the increase in population accompany- 

 ing the expansion of the activities of Cape 

 Canaveral Missile Base during the past sev- 

 eral years, there has been an increase in the 

 use of the natural bodies of water for recrea- 

 tional purposes. The most important use is for 

 fishing. The n-iost recent sport fishery survey 

 including material on the Cape Canaveral 

 Area was conducted in 1955 and 1956 by Ellis, 

 Rosen, and Moffett (1958). The present study 

 was designed to evaluate the current status 

 of this fishery. 



A general survey trip was made into the 

 Cape Canaveral Area in January 1963 to 

 familiarize personnel with the physiographical 

 features of the area; to obtain information 

 on the locations of fish camps, fishing piers, 

 fishing bridges, and other facilities and sites 

 where the sports fishery is pursued and 

 where catches might be sampled; and to find 

 out where and when people fished, what baits 

 they used, and what species they caught. 

 Much of the information obtained came from 

 the operators of marinas, fish camps, bait 

 ships, and party and charter boats. 



Through the information gained during the 

 trip in January, a system of interviews with 

 fishermen and camp operators was established, 

 to be pursued on 4 consecutive days each 

 nnonth, one weekend and the following 2 week- 

 days. By the end of the February trip the 

 procedures had been established for the best 

 use of time and personnel. Additional surveys 

 were made during the Fourth of July and 

 Labor Day weekends to determine the effect 

 these particular days might have on the total 

 fishery. 



The Cape Canaveral Area was divided into 

 a Southern Section and a Northern Section 

 because of differences in the fisheries them- 

 selves between the two sections and because 

 there appeared to be a natural break in physi- 

 ographical features. From March through 

 June a four- to seven- man crew divided its 

 time equally between the Northern and South- 

 ern sections. Beginning on the weekend of 

 July 4, and continuing thereafter, the crew 

 split into two teanns, each sannpling one sec- 

 tion exclusively. 



Figures 11 and 12 and table 22 show loca- 

 tions in the Cape Canaveral Area where the 

 sport fishery was sampled. Numerals in 

 squares refer to bridges and causeway loca- 

 tions; nunnerals in triangles refer to piers, 

 both in the river and on the ocean; nunnerals 

 in circles refer to fish camps where the 

 rental boat fishery was sampled, and where 

 some bank fishery sampling occurred; num- 

 erals in rectangles refer to surf fishery 

 sampling locations; and numerals in hexagons 

 refer to locations from where charter boats 

 operate and where this fishery was sampled. 

 Locations of other areas or facilities where 



bank fishing was sannpled are designated in 

 the descriptions of sampling locations for the 

 Northern Section. See table 22 for a list of 

 the sampling locations by numeral and synnbol. 



Location number 17, Sunglow Ocean Fishing 

 Pier; 47, Timmons Fishing Camp; and 48, 

 Inlet Harbor Fish Cannp were not sampled 

 during our field survey in 1963. Data pertinent 

 to our studies were extracted from records 

 maintained by these facilities. We are par- 

 ticularly indebted to the following who nnade 

 records available to us: Gary Bennett, Cocoa; 

 A Willianns, Turtle Mound Fish Cannps; V, R. 

 Hall, publisher of the newspaper "Day by Day," 

 Daytona Beach; publishers of the newspaper 

 "Pelican," New Smyrna Beach; and Redwood 

 Wharton, Inlet Harbor. 



Our interview questions for fishermen in- 

 cluded nunnber of fishermen in party, length 

 of tinne party had been fishing at that par- 

 ticular site that day, and what species of fish 

 and how many of each had been caught. Length 

 and weight estimates of fish were recorded 

 if they were made. 



Beginning in March, serially numberedcards 

 in return-addressed envelopes were distrib- 

 uted to fishermen who hadn't completed fishing 



—List of sampltng locatloae shown oo figures 11 anr^ 22., vhere the 

 sport fishery of the Cape Canaveral Area was BOxipleA. in I963 



Brldfies and causeuays 



Bridges and causeway betueeo Melbourae and ladlalaotli:. 

 Bridges &iid i:auseway between &u Gallle and Cacova BcAcb. 

 Mathers Bridge. 



Bridges and causeway between Cocoa and Cocoa Beacb. 

 ntuavUie Bridge and Causewy on Florida State Blghway 



No. i*oe. 



Bridge at 5th Street at New Smyrna Beach. 



South Causeway Bridge at New Sn^rna Beech. 



Callallea Creek Bridge. 



Sorth Causeway Bridge at Mew anyrna Beach. 



Bridge on Quay areata at New a^rna Beach. 



Bridge on North Causeway at New aiyraa City D^cJcs. 



Piers 



Port Canaveral (South of S. Jetty to Cajiavecal Pier). 

 Ocean beach (3*5 miles north of Bethune Beach to 



opposite IVirtle Mound No. 2). 

 Ponce de Leon Inlet auuth at Coast Guard Station. 



Chylj^- boat locations 



Port Canaveral. 

 N&w Smyrna City Ebck. 

 Tlfflnoas Pishing Camp. 

 Inlet Harbor Fish Camp. 



34 



