NORTH AND WEST BAYS 
DAILY AVERAGE 
DAILY AVERAGE 
twewlwiwewlwewewe 
i Poem Ay eee) 4 Ay (Sin: iN: Dd: 
EAST BAY 
DAILY AVERAGE 
[ ] COASTAL WATERS 
DAILY AVERAGE 
Figure 24.—Estimated average daily instantaneous numbers of transit commercial shrimp 
fishing boats (dark) and occupants (light) by areas, weekdays (W), and weekend-days (E) each 
month in 1973. 
Since these fishes occur in protected waters of the bay 
system, they attract the attention of many full- and part- 
time commercial fishermen, as a comparatively small ex- 
penditure for gear or labor is required to participate in 
the fishery. One- and two-man operations were com- 
monly observed. A similar fishery was described in detail 
by Irby (1974) for Okaloosa and Walton Counties in 
northwest Florida. 
Commercial Scallop Fishery 
The scallop fishery was fourth in importance to com- 
mercial fishermen in the area; it accounted for 22.0% of 
the estimated effort for all fisheries. According to the dis- 
tribution of effort, scallops occurred in commercial quan- 
tity only in lower St. Andrew Bay (subareas 44, 51, 52) 
and in Kast Pass (subarea 50). A minor fishing effort with 
a dredge was observed in East Bay. Since scallops are not 
known to occur in the East Bay area, the effort possibly 
was exploratory in nature or misclassified. The latter 
seems more likely for a limited amount of dredging of 
leased oyster beds is permitted by the State of Florida. 
The estimated numbers of scallop fishermen and boats 
are shown in Figure 29 for weekdays and weekend-days 
each month in 1973. The numbers of transit scallop boats 
and occupants are shown in Figure 30. 
The flat-bottom, wooden boat mentioned in the sec- 
tion on commercial oyster fishing also served as the 
primary platform for scallop fishing. The method most 
employed to harvest the scallops was to tow a sled-type 
dredge through the grass beds inhabited by scallops. 
State laws limit the mechanical harvest of scallop to the 
period from 15 October to June 1. An occasional com- 
mercial fisherman was seen gathering scallops by hand 
with the aid of scuba gear. 
18 
Commercial Crab Fishing 
Commercial crabbing was ranked fifth and least 
important among the commercial fisheries in the areas as 
measured by fishing effort. That effort involved only 
1.2% of the sum of the estimated effort for the five 
fisheries. By area 85.2% of the crabbing effort was in Kast 
Bay, 9.1% in North and West Bays, 5.7% in St. Andrew 
Bay, and 0.0% in coastal waters (Table 11). 
The estimated numbers of commercial crabbers and 
crab boats are shown in Figure 31 for areas, weekdays, 
and weekend-days each month in 1973. No transit crab 
boats were observed. 
All observed crab fishing was by baited lift traps that 
were set and hauled from small boats. Large quantities of 
crabs are harvested by shrimpers, however, incidental to 
their shrimp catches. 
DISCUSSION 
The need for reasonably accurate statistics on social 
and economic value of recreational! fishing and related 
activities in marine-estuarine waters is well recognized 
by resource managers, environmentalists, scientists, and 
others. While commercial, industrial, municipal, and 
residential uses of these waters and resources are general- 
ly accepted by the public as being in the public interest, 
to optimize their social, economic, and_ biological 
benefits the recreational user necessarily has to be con- 
sidered. 
The waters of the coastal zone offer a great variety of 
recreational opportunities. Fishing, boating, and swim- 
ming are examples. A complete and reliable survey of all 
recreational activities in St. Andrew Bay and adjacent 
coastal waters would involve such enormous effort and 
