Exotic fishes boost angling success in Florida
Fish Busters' Bulletin
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Media contact: Bob Wattendorf
Florida is the Fishing Capital of the World because of its
native fishes, but it also has a variety of exotic fishes anglers
may pursue. An exotic fish is one that is not native to the area in
which it is found. Typically, this is because people moved them
from one location to another, either intentionally or accidentally,
resulting in their illegal release.
To many ecologists, any organism that is introduced to a place
it did not historically and naturally occur is a nuisance. However,
when you look around Florida you will find many species that are
associated with the Sunshine State but were not here 500 years ago
when the Spanish first landed. In fact, Spaniards brought many
familiar edibles from Europe, including oranges, horses and pigs,
which are still here.
The first exotic fish species documented in Florida - the common
carp - was stocked around 1877 by the U.S. Fish Commission. Carp
came from Germany and were stocked as a food fish throughout the
United States. Today in Florida, common carp are most abundant in
the Panhandle and support a small but avid group of anglers and bow
fishermen.
In addition to common carp, another 22 species of fish are
established, meaning they have permanent populations, and 11
species have reproduced in Florida's fresh waters. Most successful
intruders came from tropical or subtropical climates. Typical
sources have been the aquarium trade or individual pet-fish owners,
and aquaculture facilities that inadvertently allowed some stock to
escape.
Florida fisheries biologists have studied nonnative fishes and
their impacts since the late 1960s and established a Nonnative Fish
Research Laboratory in Boca Raton. Although laboratory staff
continue to study and be concerned with nonnative fishes, they have
not documented measureable negative impacts on native fishes or
aquatic habitats. During that time they have exterminated from
confined areas several populations of exotic fishes that were
discovered early, including redbelly piranha, pirambeba and
threespot ciclid. Natural events, particularly cold spells, have
eliminated 14 species of previously reproducing nonnative fishes
from our waters.
Laboratory staff also helped develop sterile triploid grass
carp, which are used (under permit) as an aquatic-plant-control
tool, and successfully introduced peacock bass as a biological
control for unwanted exotic forage species. Peacocks now support a
sport fishery in southeast Florida, with an annual economic benefit
of nearly $11 million.
During the winter cold snap of 2010, peacock bass, and many
other exotic fishes, died in large numbers. The exotic fishery on
the L-67A Canal is an excellent example of how these exotic
fishes are being utilized by anglers, and effects of the cold. The
canal is west of U.S. 27 and south of Alligator Alley and is known
not only for great largemouth bass fishing, but also for a diverse
array of nonnative fish.
Mayan cichlid, oscar and butterfly peacock bass are the three
most popular nonnative species in the canal, but the winter kill in
2010 nearly eliminated them. Catch rates for Mayan cichlid and
oscar averaged nine and four fish per hour, respectively, from 2000
to 2009, and butterfly peacock bass were producing two fish per
hour of fishing. In the L-67A Canal, in spite of numerous nonnative
fishes, the average catch rate for largemouth bass was more than
two bass per hour. For comparison, a catch rate of one harvestable
largemouth bass per four hours (0.25 fish per hour) is considered
typical in the southeastern United States.
Expenditures by anglers fishing for exotic fishes on the L-67A
Canal during the past 17 years were estimated at more than $3
million. During that period, anglers spent 22 percent of their time
seeking exotics. When the exotic bite is on, people travel long
distances to fish the L-67A.
Although the unusually cold winter in 2010 took a toll on
exotics in the canal, once their populations rebound, the amount of
time spent fishing will increase along with success rates.
Meanwhile, urban canals around the more southerly Miami-Homestead
area do not get winter kills quite as extreme as L-67A, so
anglers fishing for exotics have more consistent success there.
Besides the entertainment associated with fishing for different
and often very colorful fish comes the benefit that, except for
peacock bass and triploid grass carp, nonnative fishes do not have
bag or size limits. Anglers are encouraged to take as many as they
can. It is suggested they be immediately placed on ice and not
released. Most are good eating, including Mayan cichlid and oscar,
as well as other exotics such as brown hoplos and bullseye
snakehead.
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