Snapshot of marine economic impacts in and around Collier County

Economic impacts measure the level of economic activity in a given area. They may be viewed in terms of: (1) business output (or sales volume), (2) value added (or gross regional or domestic product), (3) business taxes, (4) personal income (including wages) or (5) jobs. Any of these measures can be an indicator of economic well-being (source: Economic Development Research Group, 1997). Below is a snapshot of the marine recreational and commercial industries and activities in Collier County (and surrounding areas) and their economic consequences and impacts.

Recreational Saltwater Fishing Activities

• In 2010, 26,275 recreational saltwater fishing licenses were purchased in Collier County resulting in over $ 4.7 million dollars in sales. In addition over 2,000 special endorsements such as snook and lobster permits and tarpon tags were purchased with an estimated value of  over $21,300.  (source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – FWC).
• Charter captains in Collier County purchased 221 fishing licenses for either the captain or vessel in groups of 4 or less, 6 or less, 10 or less or 11 or more passengers resulting in over $60,130 in sales (source: FWC).
•  Fishermen and divers who use southwest Florida’s artificial reefs sites spend over $253 million in the region annually. (source: Florida Sea Grant)
• Expenditures on artificial reef-related activities in Southwest Florida generated almost $227million in economic outputs that supported over 2,500 full- and parttime jobs.
• In southwest Florida (Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties) recreational fishing activities resulted in $1.3 billion in sales and supported 14,530 jobs in 2007 (source: FWC and NOAA Marine Fisheries)  
•  In the 2010/2011 fiscal year, over 1.2 million individuals bought a saltwater recreational fishing license including more than 860,000 Florida residents and 394,000 non-residents. Total revenue for all marine recreational fishing license sales was over $25 million. (source:FWC)
• Recreational fishing resulted in over $5 billion in economic impacts and supported approximately 50,000 jobs during 2009 (source: FWC).

Commercial  Fishing Activities

• 171 commercial fishermen held saltwater products licenses in Collier County during 2008/09. There were 20 wholesale dealers, and 93 retail dealers over the same period (source: FWC).
• Over 1.5 million pounds of  seafood products were landed by commercial fishermen in  Collier County in 2010. Of this amount, 608,000 pounds were stone crab claws worth an estimated $5.5 million in dockside value (source: FWC)
• San Carlos Island shrimp harvesting and processing resulted in $54.9 million in economic impact for Lee County and supported 1,555 jobs in 1998 (source: Florida Sea Grant).
• In Florida commercial fishing and seafood production resulted in $12.9 billion in sales and support-ed 64,744 jobs during 2009 (source: NOAA Fisheries of the US).

 

Boating Activities

• 21,691 vessels were registered in Collier County in 2010 (source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles – DHSMV).
•  In Florida, boaters spent $3.4 billion on boating trips in 2007 and $5.2 billion in watercraft expenses, which together supported 97,000 jobs. The economic effect of these same activities in southwest Florida (Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Desoto, Manatee) was $483 million in trip spending, $825 million in watercraft spending, together supporting 14.530 jobs (source: FWC)

Economic Summary

• In 2009, there were over 10,000 people employed by 616 marine/coastal-related establishments in Collier County who earned over $270 million in wages with a GDP of over $618 million. (source: NOAA's State of the Coast)
• Florida’s coastal counties account for 79% of the state’s overall economic productivity (source: National Oceans Economic Program, 2010).

 

How are you connected to south Florida?

Have you ever thought how you are connected to south Florida's marine environments? Fortunately, if you don't quite know the answer to the question, there is a new book that can help you see the many connections that exist between the region and those who visit and live there.

Pam Fletcher with Florida Sea Grant and and William Kruczynski of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are the co-editors of a new book called Tropical Connections: South Florida's Marine Environments. The book summarizes technical information on the south Florida marine ecosystem in a way that is easy to read and understand, and it is intended for students, educators, lay readers, and decision makers.

The book is comprised of fact pages that were prepared by 162 experts in their scientific disciplines. They can be used individually, but are arranged in chapters that help synthesize the information.

According to the editors, The title contains the word "connections" because the marine habitats of south Florida are interconnected physically, chemically, and biologically, as well as connected with other geographic regions. If you live, vacation, boat, swim, snorkel, SCUBA dive, fish, spear fish, bird watch, or eat marine fish or shellfish in south Florida, you are "connected" to the south Florida marine habitats. Also, people who read about, study, or enjoy knowing that the marine habitats of south Florida exist as natural wonders have a special connection to this place that may be no less significant than physical experiences.

Find out how you are "connected" to south Florida's marine ecosystems!

Recording of Florida Swordfish Webinar

Did you miss our Brown Bag Webinar on Swordfish? No worries!





Credit: Photo courtesy of Mike Carden,  a longline fisherman from Panama City, FL

You can watch a recording of our Florida Swordfish Fishery Webinar, which is part of our Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series. The series is intended for seafood lovers and educators who are interested in learning more about the safety and sustainability associated with Florida’s fisheries and seafood industry. The goals of the scallop presentation are:

1. Increase your knowledge of basic swordfish biology and ecology
2. Enhance your understanding of the trends, importance, and management of Florida’s and U.S. North Atlantic swordfish fishery
3. Make you more informed about the purchasing and consuming swordfish

To view the recording, click HERE

We want to hear from you!
We would love to get your feedback about the presentation by completing a short evaluation. Your input helps us plan for future educational programs. To access the evaluation click HERE.

Recordings of Past Webinar in the Series

Click HERE if you would like to view the recordings of past webinars from this series.

Additional Swordfish Resources

• NOAA Atlantic Highly Migratory Species-Swordfish
• NOAA FishWatch-Swordfish Profile
• Florida Museum of Natural History-Swordfish
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Swordfish Recipes

Florida's Commercial Spiny Lobster Fishery

Image credit:FDACS

Did you know that 100% of the spiny lobster (Panulirus agrus) commercially harvested in the United States comes from Florida? In fact, spiny lobster is one of Florida's top seafood products in dockside value. In 2011 over 5.7 million pounds were harvested with a dockside value of over $38 million dollars!
Florida's spiny lobster fishery is concentrated mainly in South Florida, with approximately 90% of landings coming from the Florida Keys. While the fishery is jointly managed in federal waters by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, most of the fishing effort occurs in state waters, which is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Several regulations are implemented to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery.

• Minimum size limits
• Closed seasons/areas
• Gear restrictions
• Trap limitation and permitting program

The commercial spiny lobster season runs August 6th through March 31st. Typically a large proportion of landings occur in the first several months of the season followed by a steady decline the rest of the season. Fishing effort, in many cases also follow this trend. For example, in October many fishermen shift to harvesting stone crab, which contribute to decreased effort.



Image credit: FDACS

Since the 1960's Florida's spiny lobster fishery has primarily used traps to harvest the crustaceans, although some operations continue to dive for them.  Lobsters are landed alive in depths from six to 300 feet.Traps are constructed of wood or plastic and can be no larger than three feet by two feet by two feet or the volumetric equivalent (12 cubic feet) with an entrance located at the top of the trap.  Traps are also required to have a self-deteriorating escape panel to reduce incidents of "ghost" fishing in case the traps are lost or abandoned.  Fishermen typically string traps along a trap line with each end of the line marked by a buoy. Traps, buoys, and vessels, must display a special permit number preceded by the letter "C" to denote them as commercial lobster operations.
 Traps that are lost, abandoned, or incorrectly deployed can cause damage to reefs and seagrasses. To minimize these potential impacts management efforts have closed certain areas off to lobster fishing, and several organizations conduct trap clean up events to remove derelict traps off sensitive bottom habitats.


Image credit: Bryan Fluech

Despite a large domestic fishery, imports of spiny lobster tails make up at least an order of magnitude larger than what Florida fishermen land. Shell-on, frozen lobster tails are commonly imported from Brazil, Bahamas, Nicaragua, and Honduras. In addition, a significant portion of Florida landings are also exported. International demand for spiny lobsters have increased in recent year, particularly whole, live lobsters which brings a higher price to fishermen. Lobsters are often exported to China, Japan and other Asian countries in addition to Canada, France, and other European countries.

Spiny lobster landings in the 2000's have been considerably lower than in the previous decade, but pinpointing a single cause is difficult. Many factors affect fishery recruitment including the lost of juvenile and adult habitat, changes in spawning stock and larval supply, changes in water quality, and events that can impact population dynamics such as hurricanes, algal blooms, and/or changes in oceanographic conditions. In addition PaV1, a naturally-occurring pathogenic virus that is often fatal to juvenile spiny lobster is also thought to have played a factor in these declines.

According to NOAA, the U.S. spiny lobster fishery is not undergoing overfishing nor is it overfished. However, the status of the population is unknown because larval spiny lobster in U.S. waters come mostly from multiple areas of the Caribbean Sea. Without sampling the entire Caribbean region, it is impossible to assess the local population.

 

Image credit: Bryan Fluech

References:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Commercial Landings Data

http://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fishstats/commercial-fisheries/landings-in-florida/

NOAA-Fishwatch
http://www.fishwatch.gov/

Play it Smart During Spiny Lobster Sport Season

Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys

 Each year during the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July thousands of recreational anglers converge on the Florida Keys for Florida’s famous spiny lobster sport season. More than 50,000 anglers have been documented on the water during this two-day "mini" season, and the density of boats along local coral patch reefs can be 900x higher than during the remainder of the regular season (1). Unfortunately, diving and boating accidents are common and deaths are not unheard of during this time. The impact to the lobster population can also great. Managers estimate the two-day sport season is responsible for 20-25% of the total annual recreational fishing effort and 80-90% of the legal size lobsters can be removed from reefs during this time (1,2)

 Spiny Lobster Sport Season Regulations

• Bag Limit: 6 per person per day for Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, and 12 per person per day for the rest of Florid
• Size Limit: Carapace 3 inches or larger, measured in the water. Possession and use of a measuring device is required at all time
• Possession Limit on the Water: Equal to the daily bag limit
• Possession Limit off the Water: Equal to the daily bag limit on the first day, and double the daily bag limit on the second day. Possession limits are enforced on and off the water.

*Harvest of spiny lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season.  Harvest is also prohibited during both the 2-day sport season and regular season in Biscayne National Park’s Lobster Sanctuary, Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and no take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Night diving is prohibite in Monroe County during the sport season.For more information on spiny lobster sport and regular season regulations click here.

 

To legally harvest spiny lobster, a spiny lobster permit must be purchased in addition to a valid Florida saltwater fishing license (even if you are fishing from shore and have a free shoreline lincese, a spiny lobster permit is required). Click here for more information on fishing licenses.

 

Useful Tools for Spiny Lobster Sport Season

• Dive Flag - All divers in Florida waters must display a dive flag and stay within 100 feet of it.
• Short-Handled Lobster Net and Tail Snare - Nets are used on sand flats while snares are best for reefs. 
• Tickle Stick - A thin fiberglass rod about 24 inches long used to coax lobsters out of holes without harming the reef.
• Gloves - Used to get a firm grip on a lobster. Always handle a lobster by its carapace as they can sacrifice an antennae to escape being caught
• Mesh Game Bag - To hold your catch. Look for models with a convenient way to attach to your weight belt or gear, and a locking enclosure.
• Lobster Gauge - Every diver must carry a lobster gauge and must measure the lobster under water before it's placed in the game bag.



According to the FWC, "the carapace is measured beginning at the forward edge between the rostral horns, excluding any soft tissue, and proceeding along the middle to the rear edge of the carapace."

References

(1)  Eggleston, D.B, E.G. Johnson, G.T. Kellison, and D.A. Nadeau. 2003. Intense removal and non-saturating functional responses by recreational divers on spiny lobster Panulirus argus. Mar Ecol Prog Ser. 257: 197-207.

(2)  Sharp, W.C., R.D. Bertelsen, and V.R. Leeworthy. 2005. Long-term trends in the recreational lobster fishery of Florida, United States: Landings, effort and implications for management. New Zeal J Mar Freshwat Res. 39: 733-747.





Do You Need a Florida Saltwater Fishing License?

SINCE AUGUST 1, 2009, A SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE IS REQUIRED FOR FLORIDA RESIDENTS WHO FISH FROM SHORE.

Ø Besides natural shorelines the license is required for piers, jetties, bridges, floating docks or similar structures and includes bay, inland, Gulf and Atlantic waters of the State

Ø  Since July 1, 2010 the annual resident shoreline fishing license is FREE, but residents fishing from shore are still required to obtain the license. Resident anglers who order the shoreline license over the phone or Internet will still have to pay a processing fee to the vendor

Ø Resident anglers who purchase a one-year, five-year, combination, or lifetime saltwater license are covered for both shoreline and watercraft recreational fishing.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a resident is "Any person who has resided in Florida for six continuous months prior to applying for a resident license and who claims Florida as their primary residence, or any member of the U.S. armed forces who is stationed in the state."

YOU DO NOT NEED A SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE IF YOU ARE...

Ø A resident drawing food stamps, temporary cash assistance or Medicaid and carrying an issued identification card while fishing

Ø A resident fishing in their home county with live or natural bait using a cane pole or other gear that does not depend on mechanical retrieval

Ø Under 16 years of age

Ø A Florida resident over 65 years of age

Ø Fishing from a for-hire vessel

Ø Fishing from a pier with a valid pier saltwater fishing license

Ø A Florida resident who's a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, home on leave for 30 days or less

Ø A Florida resident who possesses a Florida Resident Disabled Person Hunting and Fishing Certificate

Ø A holder of a saltwater products license

Ø Accepted as a client for developmental services by Dept. of Child and Family services, with proof there of

Ø A resident with a no-cost Florida Resident Disabled Person Hunting and Fishing Certificate, with certification of disability

To order a fishing license online visit: www.fl.wildlifelicense.com

or call 1-888-FISH FLORIDA (1-888-347-4356)

Additiona information can be obtained by visiting
www.myfwc.com or http://catchandrelease.org

Why should I consider purchasing a license if I'm not required to have one?

The more licenses purchased by Florida anglers, the more federal aid the state gets to support sport fish conservation and restoration projects. License sales help bring fishing tackle and motor boat fuel taxes back to Florida and help support its economy.



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Chill Out: Preventing Scrombrotoxin Poisoning

Two primary species of mackerel are harvested in Florida waters. The King mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) and Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorous maculatus) are two of the most important fishery species in the state. In 2011, both species were among the state’s top 10 commercial finfish species for landings and dockside value, worth more than $10 million combined.

As any south Florida angler knows mackerel are also among the most popular recreational fishes. They’re fairly common, put on a good fight, and taste good too. Sixty-eight percent of the total allowable catch is allocated to the recreational fishery and King and Spanish mackerel are both among the top five recreationally harvested species in the state (by weight).

King and Spanish mackerel are healthy sources of protein, Omega-3s, selenium, and B vitamins. However, it is essential that they are handled properly once landed as they have been identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as being capable of causing scombrotoxin poisoning. Other potential fish include:

What is scombrotoxin poisoning?

Scombrotoxin or histamine poisoning occurs when histamine and other biogenic amines are permitted to build up as a result of bacterial spoilage associated with time/temperature abuse. In the U.S. it is one of the most common illnesses caused by seafood, but it may also be prevented with proper handling and cooling. Biogenic amines, including histamine, are natural chemicals that can form in fish anytime during harvest, preparation and storage, though growth is more rapid at high temperatures. These amines may begin to develop after the fish dies, and will increase if the fish is left in the water too long after death, or if it is not adequately chilled immediately after it is brought on board.

Symptoms

Once histamine is formed it does not go away and cannot be eliminated by washing, cooking or freezing. Therefore, prevention is the only way to assure that histamine is not present in fish. Any fish that is showing signs of spoilage should be discarded, however even if a fish smells or looks good histamine may still be present and illness is possible. In most cases, the illness occurs very quickly and is relatively short-lived. While severe reactions are rare, symptoms are very uncomfortable and include flushing of the face and neck, tingling sensation of the tongue, headaches or dizziness, vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Prevention

Rapid chilling of fish immediately after death is the most important strategy for preventing the formation of scombrotoxin. Formation of biogenic amines is drastically reduced by cooling fish to 40° F (internal) and fish should be packed in ice, ice slush, chilled seawater or chilled brine as quickly as possible. Since larger fish take longer to cool than smaller fish evisceration (removal of the guts) of larger fish is a good way to help remove the bacteria that causes formation of biogenic amines. Evisceration must be done carefully and the gut cavity should be filled with ice or cooling media to quicken internal chilling.

References

1. Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance (FDA Hazards Guide)(4th Edition).

2. FDA Bad Bug Book: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/

Great Goliath Grouper Count: 2012 Collier Results

Well the good news is that my colleagues and I were able to complete a third year of surveys for the Great Goliath Grouper Count (GGGC). The bad news is the weather wasn’t cooperative, and we weren’t able to survey as many sites as in the past two years. In addition, the number of grouper we counted was much lower than in past years, which could be in part to the poor visibility we had to deal with this year.

The GGGC  is a collaborative outreach project between Florida Sea Grant and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission  to provide a regional “snapshot “ of goliath grouper presence and minimum abundance on artificial reefs throughout  the region in a relatively short time frame (ideally one week). The concept came from the National Christmas Bird Count done through the Audubon Society.  Volunteers  collect fundamental fisheries information  that help researchers characterize the size structure of goliath grouper within the study area and compare  abundance and size distribution to habitat features, depth and region.  Besides Collier County, surveys are conducted from Lee through Pinellas Counties in Southwest Florida, and off Taylor and Bay Counties in the Big Bend and Panhandle region. Beginning in 2011, we also had survey teams off the east coast of Florida near Palm Beach County.  I am always quick to point out that this project is by no means a substitute for a formal stock assessment, as it is not comprehensive enough in scope, but it certainly can help provide managers and researchers with additional information they can use when assessing the health of the recovering goliath grouper population in Florida.

Highlights of this year’s GGGC in Collier County

·          Nine divers and two boats only surveyed  seven of the twelve designated Collier sites  due to rough weather conditions

·         Because of the weather the surveys were spread out over a week’s time period instead of the normal two day time frame.

·         The depths of the sites surveyed ranged from 30 to 80 feet

·         Four of the sites sampled were ship wrecks, two were radio towers, and one was a rubble pile

·         The number of goliath grouper present at each site ranged from one to twelve.

·         A minimum of 49 goliath grouper were counted at the seven sites (Avg 7).  As a comparison, last year we counted a minimum of 128 grouper on 10 sites (Avg 12.8).

·         Of the 49 grouper that were counted, one was estimated to be less than three feet, 28 were estimated to be between three and five feet, and 20 were estimated to be greater than five feet.

I will be sure to share the results from the rest of the project as soon as I get them.

Florida Scallop Fishery Webinar Recording

Did you know…

Bay scallops in Florida only live about a year? There is a commercial fishery for calico scallops in Florida? Want to know more?

I invite you to watch a recording of a webinar my Sea Grant colleague Dr. Lisa Krimsky and I gave on Florida’s scallop fishery. The presentation is part of our Florida Seafood Brown Bag Webinar Series. The series is intended for seafood lovers and educators who are interested in learning more about the safety and sustainability associated with Florida’s fisheries and seafood industry. The goals of the scallop presentation are:

1. Increase your knowledge of basic scallop biology and ecology
2. Enhance your understanding of the trends, importance, and management of Florida’s scallop populations and fisheries
3. Make you more informed about the purchasing, storing, and handling of scallops

 To view the recording, click HERE

We want to hear from you!
 We would love to get your feedback about the presentation by completing a short evaluation. Your input helps us plan for future educational programs. To access the evaluation click HERE.

Recordings of Past Webinar in the Series

Click HERE if you would like to view the recordings of past webinars from this series.

Additional Scallop Resources 

Florida Sea Grant: Recreational Scalloping in Florida

ISSC:Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference – Scallop handling and safety

FWC:Recreational Scalloping Survey

FDACS:Scallop Recipes

 

 

Don't Let Your Catch Spoil the Day

As the fishing action heats up this summer, so inevitably do temperatures, which can spell trouble for an angler if he/she isn’t careful.  Fish are highly perishable, and the methods by which anglers handle their catch from the time it is hooked until it is cooked can impact the quality of their meal.

Once a fish dies, irreversible spoilage begins. Enzymes and bacteria are responsible for this process. Enzymes that normally regulate a fish’s metabolism are left unchecked and start breaking down body cells. Fish caught while feeding may experience quicker rates of spoilage because digestive enzymes will already be active.  A softening of flesh around the gut is often an indication of this process as enzymes quickly digest these tissues.

Bacterial growth in the body will accelerate as the fish decomposes. Fish may also become more susceptible to bacteria from the environment as the fish’s natural defenses are broken down. Exposure to the sun and Florida temperatures can quickly accelerate this process. One bacterium on a fish’s body can multiply into millions of bacteria within hours if conditions are right. This bacterial activity will contribute to the deterioration of the flesh. In fact, fresh fish flesh is practically odorless, but fishy odors associated with spoilage are the result of bacteria hard at work.

While it is impossible to completely prevent spoilage, anglers can reduce this process by properly chilling their catch. This also reduces health risks associated with warmer temperatures.

One of the most recommended chilling methods for recreational anglers is the use of a brine slush-ice mixture. This is accomplished by combining at least two parts ice to one part clean seawater in an insulated cooler. Fish will chill four to five times quicker in slush ice because it will be surrounded by 32°F slush water.

To maximize the chilling process, seafood specialists recommend using at least one pound of ice per pound of fish. Cover the bottom of a cooler with several inches of ice and then surround the entire fish with another layer of ice.  When deciding on how much ice to bring, anglers should also take into account the length of their trip, the surrounding air and water temperature, and if possible, the type and size of fish being targeted.  Crushed or flaked ice is recommended because of the greater amount of surface area in contact with the fish, which will result in quicker chilling rates. Larger pieces can tear or bruise the skin more easily, but is better than no ice at all.

As the ice melts, water will help wash bacteria away from the surface of the fish. Water should be drained periodically to help remove accumulated bacteria. Continue to add ice as needed to maintain the appropriate slush mix.



Bleeding and gutting a fish will also enhance the quality of fish destined for your plate. Bleeding a fish will improve muscle appearance and flavor, and can reduce the cooling time once a fish is put on ice.  Gutting a fish helps to remove sources of bacteria and enzymes that can increase spoilage rates. It will also reduce chilling time because a significant amount of body weight is removed.  Keep the entrails intact to avoid contamination with other parts of the body. Knives and cutting surfaces should be clean to minimize further contamination. Once the fish is gutted, rinse the cavity with clean water to remove any excess blood, slime or viscera and pack it in the ice.  Keep in mind that legally, fish must be landed whole with head and tail intact.