supported by size distribution curves for those years. A drop in the average number of 
fish harvested per successful trip was observed in 1985 which reflects the 24-in 
minimum size limit placed on the fishery that year. An increase in average harvest per 
successful boat and average size fish harvested in 1986, even though the total catch 
rates of successful fishermen were down, reveal the entry of previously undersized 
fish into the fishery during 1986. Mortality rate of fish 24 to 30 in. appears higher in 
1986, suggesting higher vulnerability to harvest once these fish reach 24 in. The data 
obtained indicate that the bag limits, minimum size limits, and closed seasons placed on 
this fishery to date have not resulted in a reduced total annual harvest. However, this 
is largely due to unusually good recruitment years in 1983 and 1984. The apparent 
increase in snook populations following the high rainfall years of 1982 and 1983 also 
suggests that larval recruitment and/or juvenile survival may be enhanced by 
increased upland runoff or marsh flooding. 
1958 - 1986 
Tilmant, J. T., E. S. Rutherford, and E. B. Thue (1989) Fishery harvest and population 
dynamics of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) from Florida Bay and adjacent waters. Symp. 
on Florida Bay: A Subtropical Lagoon. Miami, FL. June, 1987. Bull. Mar. Sci. . 44( 1): 126- 
38. 
A fisheries harvest monitoring program provided catch and effort data on the harvest 
of red drum from Florida Bay since 1958. Length data are available since 1974. Red 
Drum were sought by less than 7% of the fishermen in the late 1950's, but increased to 
nearly 40% of the fishermen during 1986. Red drum also comprised approximately 
15% of the annual total reported harvest of commercial guide fishermen. The annual 
estimated total harvest from Florida Bay declined from 28,500 fish in 1973 to less 
than 17,500 fish in 1978, but then increased dramatically to a peak of 51,000 fish in 
1984. Although fishing effort has continued to increase since 1984, total reported 
catch of red drum has seriously declined. The red drum fishery is largely comprised of 
newly recruited fish. Prior to a 18-in minimum size limit imposed in September 1985, 
51% of the annual harvest were 1 -yr-old fish, 38% were 2-yr-olds, and less than 
12% were 3 yrs or older. Proportional age distribution within any given year has 
varied with annual recruitment to the fishery. A virtual population assessment 
suggests that the Everglades National Park's fishable population of red drum declined 
from around 120,000 fish in 1974 to a low of 90,000 in 1977, but then increased to 
over 180,000 by 1980. During 1985, an estimated 41% of the available population was 
harvested. Recent declines within the red drum population are not likely due to 
fishermen harvest unless such harvest has impaired offshore breeding stocks. Data are 
not available on the rate of escapement and offshore stock abundance. Assuming 
constant annual natural mortality and offshore migration rate, estimated instantaneous 
rates of total annual fishing mortality (F) have ranged from 1.1 to 1.9. Increased 
recruitment to the fishery followed high rainfall years (r = 0.814, N = 10), suggesting 
improved recruitment and/or survival of early stage juveniles during periods of 
increased upland runoff. 
1 959 
Taft, W. H. (1962) Unconsolidated carbonate sediments in Florida Bay, Florida. Ph. D. 
Dissertation. Stanford University, Stanford, CA. 70 pp. 
This report describes the chemical and mineralogical composition of modern 
unconsolidated carbonate sediments accumulating along the western margin of Florida 
Bay. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the possibility of using Ca, Mg 
and Sr content of ancient limestone, the counterpart of modern carbonate sediments, as 
indicators of depositional environment. Systematic variations of Ca/Mg and Sr/Ca 
ratios, and percentages of carbonate minerals do not occur in these sediments either 
148 
