potential (carrying capacity) of this species would be reduced in the 
bay, and the seatrout population could not recover to historical levels, 
even if all fishing pressures were eliminated. 
The bait shrimp industry also relies heavily on production in 
seagrass meadows. Bait shrimp are kept alive and sold in the retail 
market to recreational fishermen. The shrimp are captured by roller- 
trawls specifically designed to work efficiently in seagrass meadow 
target areas. Unlike seatrout, adult shrimp migrate offshore to spawn, 
and the juveniles return to use the seagrasses, marshes, and mangroves as 
nursery grounds. Again, the loss of seagrass can be expected to 
influence the catch of bait shrimp and their population potential. 
The two species just described are representative of many 
commercial and recreational species caught in Tampa and Sarasota Bays. 
Over 70% of the commercial and recreational species caught in Florida 
utilize the estuaries during some portion of their lifecycles, suggesting 
that we must understand the estuary as a system in order to manage the 
fishery. Each estuary has unique characteristics that separate it from 
others that may be reflected in the fishery. For example, biologists 
have found that the primary nursery ground for red drum (redfish, 
Sciaenops ocel1atus ) in some Texas estuaries appears to be seagrass 
meadows (Holt et al., 1983), whereas Peters and McMichael (1987) 
determined that primary nursery areas in Tampa Bay are quiet backwaters 
with freshwater influences. The red drum in Texas spawn offshore; the 
Tampa Bay red drum spawn at or near the entrance to the bay. These 
findings suggest that specific studies in individual estuaries may not 
apply uniformly to other estuaries which have different physical, 
chemical, and biological characteristics. We must understand Tampa Bay 
as a system and conduct appropriate, systematic research to elucidate the 
information required for effective fisheries management. 
The landings data report only adult populations. Juvenile 
populations can be assumed to have a great influence on the size of the 
adult populations. Influences on the juvenile populations, such as 
habitat availability, climatic cycles, spawning success, species 
competition, and a myriad of other factors, should translate into the 
potential production of a fishery. Unfortunately, most fisheries 
research has not concentrated on understanding the quantifiable 
relationships within an ecosystem. Years of catch-up research must be 
conducted in order to develop population projection capabilities that 
can be effectively used in fisheries management. 
Research is being conducted in Tampa Bay to develop techniques for 
assessing juvenile populations of commercially and recreationally 
important species prior to their entry into the fishery. We expect that 
relationships between relative abundance of a juvenile population and 
commercial and recreational landings of adults will provide a tool for 
projecting the fishery in advance. The fishery can then be managed 
according to the resource available. This long-term program is linked 
with research to determine habitat carrying capacities and production 
potential. The research is being carried out with funding or cooperation 
124 
