The tasty goliath grouper has been prohibited as a fish to be harvested or possessed in state and federal waters since 1990. Some people think goliath grouper are at a point where they can be harvested. This massive fish has become highly prevalent in the waters of the Gulf. Tampa Bay goliath grouper have had an especially high increase in abundance Continue reading What’s Happening with Goliath Grouper?
Category Archives: Fishes
Saltwater Grass Flats Data Collection by the Keys Fisheries Research Team
Data collection like the siene collections we see here are only a small part of understanding fisheries, but still a useful tool. After fisheries data is collected, it is eventually collated into a research article or report. Over time those reports are combined to create articles that explain trends. Then, after a large amount of data is collected, a researcher may even review the reviews, so she can create something called a synthesis, a document summarizing all the findings across the summary articles. These articles and reports can then be used to guide funding related decisions. We must, of course, always consider the limitations of the data.
Snook Season 2016: Closed in the Summer
Snook season closes during the summer months while the snook spawn. Snook are closed from May 1st through August 31st. The harvest of snook opens back up just before Fall. Continue reading Snook Season 2016: Closed in the Summer
Sand Key Jetty & Clearwater Mitigation Reef
Stingray Shuffle
Stingrays are all over the beaches. This species of fish are a rounded shape with a small, long tail, with a sharp barb attached at the base of the tail. This fish camoflauges into its environment to hide from predators. Its defense against predators is the sharp barb attached at the base of the tail. If you step on these fish, they use their barb and tail to defend themselves. Continue reading Stingray Shuffle
Flounder Pounding
Now that the temperatures are starting to drop and the cold fronts are starting to traverse the state many things are beginning to change. Flounder pounding is a super fun, super productive activity you can engage in as the season changes and the fronts become more frequent. Continue reading Flounder Pounding