Shark Depredation Undertaking Launched In Florida Keys

Based on constitution guides and anglers who fish the Florida Keys, the variety of instances they arrive into contact with sharks consuming their catch is growing. The issues replicate these of many anglers throughout the Gulf Coast who’re witnessing shark depredation greater than of earlier years.

The findings end result from latest analysis from the Bonefish & Tarpon Belief whose acknowledged aim is to determine methods for sharks and anglers to coexist inside a wholesome flats fishery.

Anglers and guides inform BTT that they’re rising increasingly more pissed off by sharks which might be taking hooked fish or devouring fish which were launched.

BTT launched the Florida Keys Shark Depredation Undertaking within the fall of 2024. The research started with a survey of anglers who fish the inshore areas from Biscayne Bay south to Key West and west to Florida Bay and the Everglades.

After the survey, BTT researchers carried out a workshop with these anglers with a purpose to map the areas the place they noticed probably the most shark interactions.

Their findings present a gradual improve in shark depredation over the previous ten years, with a marked inflection level round 2014-2015, when charges rose sharply. At the moment, crimson drum and snook are the flats fish species depredated most, with Lemon sharks being answerable for probably the most altercations. These findings, along with the high-depredation places supplied by guides, will inform the following section of the venture: BTT researchers working within the discipline to review shark habits, weight-reduction plan, and motion to get a greater deal with on what has triggered the rise in shark-angler interactions.

BTT plans to work with anglers and useful resource managers to deploy science-backed options to minimize shark depredation within the Keys.  BTT  helps the SHARKED Act, a invoice that may create a job drive of specialists to deal with the depredation drawback nationwide.

We’re enormously grateful to the anglers and guides who’ve participated on this venture. Your data and willingness to take a position effort and time into bettering the useful resource is crucial to BTT’s scientific method to conservation.

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award successful out of doors journalist that resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly out of doors column for the Slidell Impartial Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Outside Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith e mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com