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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1480 |
| Restoration of the economic vitality of Lake Griffin's Largemouth Bass Fishery |
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| Requester: |
Skip Goerner, Vice Chair |
Organization: |
Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration Council |
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| Project Title: |
Restoration of the economic vitality of Lake Griffin's Largemouth Bass Fishery |
Date Submitted |
1/15/2004 10:14:52 AM |
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| Sponsors: |
Cowin |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| Economic Vitality and Research/Demonstration Project. |
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| Recipient: |
Dr. Daniel E. Canfield Jr. |
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Contact: |
Skip Goerner |
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Dept of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Univ of Florida/IFAS |
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Contact Phone: |
(352) 360-0600 |
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Gainesville 32611 |
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Contact email: |
Bigsky115@comcast.net |
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| Counties: |
{Statewide} |
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| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
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| Project Description: |
| Lake Griffin has suffered a significant loss of sport fish, primarily largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) in the last several years possibly due to lake level stabilization, nutrient enrichment and related loss of habitat. The demise of the bass fishery has resulted in serious economic losses to the communities and businesses surrounding Lake Griffin because the largemouth bass fishery was worth millions of dollars. The State of Florida is currently investing tens of millions in an attempt to restore the water quality and fish habitat of Lake Griffin. Even if all the on-going and proposed environmental projects were to work as stated, it will be at least a decade before the economic vitality of the bass fishery in Lake Griffin is restored. Consequently the Harris Chain of Lakes Restoration Council in its 2003 report to the Florida Legislature recommended the stocking of adult sportfish to mitigate economic losses to the local economy while restoration efforts are underway. This project, therefore, proposes to stock adult largemouth bass (fish > 10 inches total length) and sub-adult largemouth bass (fish > 7 inches in total length) from waters immediately surrounding Lake Griffin (for example Emeralda marsh). Private barrow pits will also be used for adult bass and sub-adult fish will be obtained from the hatcheries of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation.. These larger fish should be able to survive, exploit the open water shad populations present in Lake Griffin and enter the largemouth bass fishery (generating economic returns through bass tournaments). The surface area of Lake Griffin is approximately 10,000 acres. Fisheries studies in Florida's eutrophic and hypereutrophic lakes have shown these waters maintain and average of approximately 8 adult largemouth bass per acre. Therefore, this project will attempt to raise the bass stock to10 fish per acre by stocking 40,000 adult fish. The project will contract with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's hatchery to supply 100,000 sub-adult fish-per year. |
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| Is this a water project as described in Chapter 2002-291, Laws of Florida? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| Increased angling activity and more bass. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$500,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$500,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
None |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
Unknown |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Restoration of Lake Griffin's Largemouth Bass Fishery: A Research/Demonstration Project |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Lake County Legislative Delegation |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
10/10/2003 |
