Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Commercial and Recreational Fisheries

The Fisheries-Dependent Monitoring division collects data on more than 200 species of fish and invertebrates harvested from Florida waters. Fishery-dependent data, collected directly from people who harvest aquatic species, is used to monitor harvest rates and assess the health of exploited fish and invertebrate populations. The state of Florida collects statistics from commercial fishers; federal grants provide funds for the collection of statistics from recreational and for-hire fishers. For-hire fishing includes recreational fishing from charter vessels, guide boats, and headboats.