Anglers describe their fishing habits to aid biologists in
researching and monitoring the recreational fisheries at Lakes Dora
and Beauclair.
Communities benefit when sport anglers invest time and money
fishing local water bodies. Thus, it is important to assess the
performance of a local fishery, and to help do that, biologists
with the FWC's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) conduct
angler surveys. These surveys provide valuable information on how
many people are fishing, what kinds of fish they are targeting, and
how many they are catching. In these surveys, biologists get their
data directly from the key players in the fishery: anglers
themselves. Using FWC's data on fishing expenditures and
adjustments for inflation, biologists can also produce estimates on
the economic value of a fishery.
Since 2004, angler surveys have been ongoing at Lakes Beauclair
and Dora in central Florida's Harris Chain of Lakes. Data collected
from November 2010 through April 2011 indicate that anglers
- spent an estimated $1,022,000 fishing these lakes.
- spent about 40,000 hours fishing.
- directed 82% of their time fishing for black crappie (also
known as specks or speckled perch) but only 15% for largemouth
bass.
- were mostly Florida residents (70%) and boat anglers
(76%).
The data show that black crappie continues to be the most
popular sport fish in Lakes Dora and Beauclair. Studies have shown
strong numbers of young black crappie will soon enter the fishery,
so the quality of this sport fishery should remain high for these
two lakes in the coming years.
FWRI biologists thank the many anglers
who participate in these surveys for sharing information that can
benefit Florida's native sport fisheries and angling
communities.
Black crappie anglers interact
with
researchers during a survey on Lake Dora.
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