Characteristics of the Sport Fishery in the Ten Thousand Islands Area of Florida

This study represents the first in-depth analysis of the sport-fishing catch and effort in the upper Ten Thousand Islands area. It was undertaken to provide comparative observations with similar studies conducted along the southern coastal areas in the Everglades National Park and to provide a basis for future comparisons of fishing pressure upon these resources as the area's human population grows. The interview data were collected between August 1971 and October 1972. Boat counts from July 1971-June 1974 were utilized to estimate total sport-fishing effort from boats. The major species caught and the success for the various types of fishermen were established. Seasonality was found to be the major factor in fishing pressure. The charter-guide method was the most successful in catch per unit effort.