2003 Annual Marine Fisheries Report: Everglades National Park

Osborne, Jason; Schmidt, Thomas; Kalafarski, John

National Park Service (NPS) management policies state that recreational fishing is permitted in parks when it is authorized by federal law or is not specifically prohibited, and is in accordance with applicable federal/state laws and regulations. However, the NPS may restrict fishing activities whenever necessary to achieve management objectives. NPS goals and management objectives are based on the preservation of diversity and ecological integrity of fish populations. When harvest is permitted, in no case should it be allowed to reduce the reproductive potential of the population or to radically alter its natural (unfished) age structure. Fishing activity and harvest of gamefish from Everglades National Park (ENP) have been monitored nearly continuously since 1958. The objectives of marine fisheries monitoring in the Park are to estimate the Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE, also known as catch rate), relative abundance, age structure, total harvest, and boating and fishing activity.