A Special Invitation to Join the
Spring Florida Keys Bonefish Population Census
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Esteemed Guides and Anglers, we need your help! This will be our third consecutive year of conducting a Spring Bonefish Population Census to calibrate with results from the Fall Florida Keys Bonefish Population Census, now in its 8 th year. The 2010 Spring census event is planned for Wednesday, April 21, 2010.
Bonefishing is a multimillion dollar industry in the Florida Keys and virtually all of the fish are released unharmed to fight again. The bonefish census, coordinated by the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) and the University of Miami RSMAS , helps to determine population trends of one of the Keys most important sport fish. This is the first and only population estimate ever done on bonefish anywhere in the world. The census information is vital to evaluating year-to-year changes in the bonefish population and providing guidance that ensures a sustainable fishery!!!
Fall census results have indicated a population of just over 320,000 bonefish in the Florida Keys fishery. We want to use the Spring census to calibrate our Fall estimates and to determine if there is a seasonal component to the bonefish population size estimates. Of particular note, your participation in this year's census is critically important because we are trying to get a handle on the extent to which January's extremely cold weather has impacted the Florida Keys bonefish population.
Our ability to detect population size differences from year to year depends on the number of census participants. The more participants we have the more robust our population size estimate. Please volunteer to help us as we need greater coverage of the fishery running from Key Biscayne to the Marquesas. All the information collected during the census will remain strictly confidential and be used only for scientific research purposes.
If you are able to participate please contact Dr. Jerry Ault at jault@rsmas.miami.edu or 305-421-4884. Once we have heard from you we will mail you a census package with a datasheet. Your responsibilities are minimal, all we ask is that you record: the zone(s) you fished; the distance poled; and, the number of bonefish seen. Simple, but very important! Finally, census datasheets will also be available from Florida Keys Outfitters (305-664-5423) or can be downloaded at www.bonefishresearch.com
We are counting on you to help us determine the current population size of this very important sports fish.
Dr. Jerry Ault
jault@rsmas.miami.edu
--- >> Download Census Participation Package (coming soon)
