Florida's Inshore Marine Monitoring and Assessment Program (IMAP): Annual Report, Year Five
McRae G, Julian M, Brown H. 2003. Florida's Inshore Marine Monitoring and Assessment Program (IMAP): Annual Report, Year Five. EPA Report Number June 1, 2004. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Gulf Breeze, FL
Florida's inshore marine systems are a diverse and unique resource. Forming the transition zone between upland drainage basins and the deep sea, these areas are noted for their high biological productivity. The majority of commercially valuable fish and shellfish species on both coasts are dependent on estuaries during some portion of their life. Florida's estuaries are also heavily impacted by point and non-point pollutant loads from an ever increasing coastal population. From several perspectives; economic, social, demographic, and particularly ecological, Florida's inshore marine resources are one of the state's most valuable assets.