caa a22 4500 606228454 CHVBK 20210128101203.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20151101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10641-015-0442-0 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10641-015-0442-0 Using local fishers' knowledge to characterize historical trends in the Florida Bay bonefish population and fishery [Elektronische Daten] [Peter Frezza, Shawn Clem] Florida Keys' bonefish (Albula vulpes) are an important component of the recreational fishery and their population can serve as an indicator of ecosystem status. Anecdotal reports from long-time fishers of Florida Bay suggest a dramatic reduction in bonefish abundance in recent years. In absence of a reliable long-term dataset, experienced fishers can provide critical information on historical changes in this fishery. To characterize and quantify historical trends and the contemporary status of the Florida Bay bonefish population and fishery, 64 of the fishery's most reputable and experienced fishers were surveyed using a questionnaire. All but one respondent reported the bonefish population in Florida Bay had declined over the course of their fishing career. Respondents indicated a 78% decline in bonefish abundance in Florida Bay with no correlation between perceived decline and fisher experience. A significant period of bonefish decline was noted 2001-2012 with 76% of respondents indicating the largest decline in the population occurred 2007-2011. Fishing effort for bonefish decreased 37% over the course of respondents' careers, with 74% of those respondents indicating this reduced effort was due to lack of fish. Forty-four percent of respondents suggested water quality issues as the primary reason for the observed decline. Two of the larger bonefish decline periods (mid 1990s and 2006-08) corresponded to periods of sustained algal blooms in Florida Bay. The most significant decline in bonefish abundance throughout the range of the Florida Keys was reported to have occurred in Florida Bay. Several possible factors leading to the perceived decline in the Florida Bay bonefish population are discussed, and the continued need to focus on this population throughout Everglades restoration efforts is emphasized. Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 2015 Local fisheries knowledge nationallicence Florida Bay nationallicence Bonefish nationallicence Fishers ecological knowledge nationallicence Everglades restoration nationallicence Shifting baselines nationallicence Frezza Peter Audubon Florida, Everglades Science Center at Tavernier, 115 Indian Mound Trail, 33070, Tavernier, FL, USA aut Clem Shawn Audubon Florida, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 375 Sanctuary Road West, 34120, Naples, FL, USA aut Environmental Biology of Fishes Springer Netherlands 98/11(2015-11-01), 2187-2202 0378-1909 98:11<2187 2015 98 10641 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-015-0442-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-015-0442-0 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Frezza Peter Audubon Florida, Everglades Science Center at Tavernier, 115 Indian Mound Trail, 33070, Tavernier, FL, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Clem Shawn Audubon Florida, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 375 Sanctuary Road West, 34120, Naples, FL, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Environmental Biology of Fishes Springer Netherlands 98/11(2015-11-01), 2187-2202 0378-1909 98:11<2187 2015 98 10641