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Capt. DJ Barrios was thinking ahead that morning. We were on a yellowtail spot not far from the anchorage at Fort Jefferson, where we had just spent the night. I was free-lining slivers of bonito and pulling in snapper as fast as I could. But Barrios had something bigger in mind.

As I landed yellowtails, he lowered a live pinfish to the ­bottom on a 20-pound-class spinner and quickly found himself in a give-and-take struggle I wasn’t sure he’d win. He prevailed and up came a firetruck red grouper—one of the largest I’ve ­ever seen. Obviously, I wasn’t the only one who was stalking the ­yellowtail school.

The Shrinking Final Frontier 

The Dry Tortugas, some 70 miles west of Key West, has long been dubbed the final frontier of Florida Keys fishing. Reaching Dry Tortugas National Park by private boat can be an arduous undertaking. Brisk winds and conflicting currents along some stretches can spawn tumultuous seas, such as the gap between Boca Grande and the Marquesas, the Quicksands and Rebecca Shoal. A boat’s seaworthiness, power, reliability and fuel capacity factor prominently in any decision to embark on such a journey. The reward? Superb bottomfishing with little pressure.

With today’s larger center-consoles, the Dry Tortugas is now a day run for many anglers and Key West guides. With light winds, one can depart Key West at sunrise, fish most of the day, and return around 5 p.m. We’ve done this with my boat. High speeds make short work of the long run; the Dry Tortugas is now readily accessible. That “final frontier” moniker doesn’t work anymore, but it’s still an amazing place to fish.

Fun at the Fort 

Fort Jefferson is the largest brick masonry structure in the Americas. It’s composed of more than 16 million bricks and was built in 1847 to protect the strategic deepwater anchorage in this region (the very same one we overnighted in). Later it served as a prison. Today it’s a major tourist mecca accessible by seaplane, tour boats and even recreational boaters.

On this trip, we opted to spend the night at Fort Jefferson. It would be my first all-nighter here, but I’m not a rookie at sleeping on boats. Credit this to the times I spent as a kid fishing with my dad off the Marquesas, some 28 miles west of Key West. Limited fuel capacities and low-horsepower engines resulted in many overnighters there. Back then, the Marquesas were considered the final frontier, and the Dry Tortugas, some 50 miles beyond the Marquesas, may as well have been in outer space.  

My first Tortugas overnighter was ushered in with happy hour appetizers and Papa’s Pilar rum for Barrios, myself and three TV production team members. We dined on freshly caught fish, swapped fish tales, and unfurled sleeping bags and beanbags to get a restful evening under the stars. OK, so maybe it wasn’t as luxurious as it sounds. More on this later.

Bottomfishing Par Excellence 

With live pinfish, fresh ballyhoo, sardines, squid, bonito and three 25-pound blocks of chum, we departed Key West ­shortly after sunrise. Averaging around 50 mph, we anchored at our first spot some 90 minutes later, dropping on a mix of sea fans and scattered corals in 70 feet of water. 

The chum hoop was deployed and two live pinfish lowered to the bottom. I immediately hooked up with a fish hellbent on lodging in structure. I opened my bail, hoping it would swim out. Then Barrios hooked a fish, which charged away from the boat instead of straight down. As anticipated, a beautiful ­mutton snapper came over the gunwales.  

I continued waiting out my fish. After all, it was down here with Daniel Delph where I hooked a big grouper on a 20-pound spin outfit more suited for yellowtailing. That fish rocked me up four different times. I spent close to an hour free-spooling and coming tight on the grouper to no avail. Finally, the wait paid off, and I bested a 55-pound black grouper on the fifth attempt. Unfortunately, I had no luck with this fish and had to break the line.

Stick and Move 

We combined anchoring and drifting over prominent bottom structures. We’d anchor on scattered pieces of hard bottom in 50 to 80 feet and drift over deeper ones, which included ledges in 180, 220 and 250 feet. In both instances, we deployed a chum hoop to stir up surface activity.

“Anything that looks like it could hold bait could hold fish,” Barrios says. “It could be as small as a couple of sea fans or as large as 10 big coral heads. If you’re marking bait on the sonar, the fish will be there.”

We scored monster red grouper, big scamps, and a mix of black, strawberry and gag grouper. Plus, there were the yellowtails, muttons, and oddities such as squirrelfish, oversize triggerfish, bonito, ’cudas and sharks. We were here in early October.

Light-Tackle Paradise 

In the domain of big bottomfish and occasional pelagics, go light and have some fun. You might lose a battle but, in the long run, you’ll gain more hookups and land some amazing catches.

Our bottom tackle included 5000-class Penn Battle III and Penn Authority spinners. For conventionals, we used Penn 15 LD Torque reels. Our rods were rated for 40- to 80-pound lines. We spooled with 30-pound Sufix 832 braid topped with 50-pound Sufix fluorocarbon leaders. Hooks were VMC 3X-strong, size 4/0 inline circle hooks. 

For yellowtails, we dropped down to 4000-size spinners paired with 12-pound monofilament. Silversides, bonito slivers and small strips of ballyhoo sweetened our No. 1 inline circle hooks and 1/16-ounce yellowtail jigs.

Seasons 

Fishing is productive off the Tortugas year-round. However, the cooler waters from October through May are prime for big grouper and muttons. “The cooler waters bring grouper and snapper in shallow, even on the patch reefs,” Barrios says. “The mutton snapper spawn around the end of May can be incredible. As far as yellowtails, good fishing can be had all year.” 

Read Next: Backcountry Boat Camping and Fishing in the Everglades

Back to the Party 

After a solid day of fishing, I steered Marc VI into the anchorage at Fort Jefferson. Before anchoring for the evening, we beached the boat and took a tour of the historic facility. Just the change in water color around the fort, ranging from deep blue to green to turquoise to clear, was well worth the venture. 

At anchor, Barrios cleaned a scamp and some yellowtails while I readied the grill. Initially, it appeared we’d be the only boat present. But shortly after our happy hour, lobster boats entered the anchorage and dropped their hooks for the evening. Rob “the Swede” Greene prepared and grilled the fish. There are no better fish dinners than the ones prepared from those that were swimming around hours earlier. 

For luxuriously sleeping five individuals, I’ll admit my 33-foot Mako center-console can’t compete with a Marriott resort. However, we each took our respective sleeping bags, claimed a spot on deck, and called it an evening under an incredibly ­beautiful star-filled sky.

The morning alarm was the sound of diesels firing up and l­­obster boats leaving for work. Greene grilled sandwiches for breakfast. Soon after, we were yellowtailing for an hour or two before heading back to Murray Marine on Stock Island.

“People are drawn out here to see a national park in the ­middle of an ocean,” Barrios says. “It’s a huge tourist attraction accessible by ferry, seaplane, and charter and recreational vessels. It’s the whole experience they’re after. Plus, it’s pretty cool when you roll up on it and see this huge brick structure rising from the ocean.” 

Planning a Trip

Capt. DJ Barrios is a fourth-generation Key West guide. He operates a 27-foot center-console and does it all around Key West. He’s also available to guide aboard customers’ boats. Contact him at roughshotchartersllc.com.

Where to stay in Key West: There are countless accommodations in Key West. The Capitana Key West (thecapitanakeywest.com) is a new boutique waterfront hotel that deserves a mention. It’s strategically located between Stock Island and downtown Key West. If you have the time during the day, consider a visit to Papa’s Pilar Rum Distillery.

Where to eat: Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island (hogfishbar.com); Roostica Wood-Fire Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant (roostica.com)

Boating permit for the Dry Tortugas: A permit is required for all private boaters fishing in park waters. Obtain the free boat permit at the park’s headquarters on Garden Key. This must be done before fishing. ”It’s a self-service kiosk that helps collect park usage data,” says Andy Newman, Florida Keys’ media relations director. “No boat permit is required for vessels simply transiting the park.”

The post Bottomfishing in the Dry Tortugas appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

The view on keeping your catch has changed dramatically over the past quarter century, and with recreational fishing being a central pillar of the Florida Keys, there is no place where catch and release is more critical. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission manages fish and wildlife resources for their longterm wellbeing and for the overall benefit of the people. They set regulations, like bag limits, size limits, and seasons based on scientific data. They’ve dedicated significant resources to teach anglers how to confidently release fish.

The post Protect the Blue, Chapter 5 – Catch and Release: Lower Keys appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

A number of factors have led to the degradation of coral reefs throughout the Florida Keys, a critical ecosystem for the health of all kinds of life including game fish species. Earlier this year, NOAA Fisheries published Mission: Iconic Reefs, which outlines the need for emergency action to address the health of coral reefs, including Carysfort Reef in Key Largo.

The post Protect the Blue, Chapter 4 – Coral Comeback: Key Largo appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Fishing reefs and wrecks in Marathon and the Florida Keys is as common as the postcard sunsets. But bottom fishing can bring with it an all-too-common sight: a deep water fish floating away after being released. It’s called barotrauma, where the fish’s body cavity expands and distorts, leaving them helpless at the surface. Initiatives are underway to change this dynamic, including Return ‘Em Right, which aims to reduce barotrauma in recreational reef fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.

The post Protect the Blue, Chapter 3 – Rescue, Release, Repeat: Marathon appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

We take a trip to the Dry Tortugas, 70 miles from Key West, one of the most popular offshore fishing spots in the Florida Keys. What makes this destination unique among the many top-notch Keys fishing spots is its backdrop: Dry Tortugas State Park. See how recreational fishing and this remote nature preserve coexist, and learn the rules/regulations that protect this pristine area.

The post Protect the Blue – Key West: Remote Control appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Islamorada is the quiet fishing village with a big nickname – the Sport Fishing Capital of the World. A great percentage of its residents are fishing captains and anglers. From sailfish to swordfish to bonefish, species are abound. How much is a Florida Keys bonefish worth? The answer: approximately $75,000 over its lifetime. But mishandling bones is a big issue, which is why the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, in partnership with organizations like the Lower Keys Guides Association, has launched the “Save the Slime” awareness campaign to reduce harm to bonefish during catch and release.

The post Protect the Blue – Islamorada: The Bones Brigade appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

How well I remember the first time I saw the neon glow of a dolphin hanging below a large patch of sargassum weed somewhere off the Palm Beach coast. Yes, we called them dolphin back in the 1960s, though we had no illusion that this fish had any relationship to a marine mammal. Sometime later, regulators changed the name to dolphinfish, which was fine. Today it is most often referred to as dolphin, dorado or mahi (which is short for mahi-mahi, the Hawaiian name for dolphinfish).

Dolphin in Decline

Whatever you want to call it, this species is a great gamefish that is fun to catch, great to eat and has been a staple for the Southeast charter and private anglers for many years. A mahi-mahi’s fecundity (the ability to produce an abundance of offspring) and fast growth have kept up with demand — until recently. Changes in the fishery may have had a negative impact or is there something else is going on.

Recently, the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (SAFMC) and NOAA Fisheries held a meeting in the Florida Keys to get input from members of the charterboat industry to help maintain the health of the dolphin stock. The input seemed to be fairly direct and was centered on the commercial catch of dolphin. In the opinion of the captains in attendance this was the sole reason they were experiencing fewer and fewer dolphin.

While smaller dolphin are still present, the catch of the bigger dolphin that attracted customers in the past is almost non-existent. It should be noted that NOAA data do not show that dolphin are overfished or that overfishing is occurring. Those in attendance vociferously objected to allowing the use of miles of longline gear for the commercial catch.

Well, I cannot disagree. The use of longlines that could be 30 miles long with thousands of hooks is, to say the least, excessive. I also suspect that there is a lot of bycatch, much of which is discarded dead or close to dead.

Commercial and Recreational Fishing Divide

In May of this year, Amendment 10 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Dolphin and Wahoo Fishery of the Atlantic was issued by NOAA Fisheries. This amendment changed some of the regulations for both the commercial and recreational sectors. There was a 10 percent reduction in the daily catch limit per recreational vessel, from 60 fish to 54 with exception of head boats. The individual limit was 10 fish.

Previously, the commercial sector had no catch limits. Amendment 10 added a 4,000-pound trip limit after 75 percent of the annual catch limit was reached.

The overall quota percentages for both sectors was also altered because of the use of updated catch data from the new Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). The allotments changed from 10 percent commercial and 90 percent recreational to 7 percent and 93 percent respectively. This translates to 1,719,953 pounds whole weight for the commercial sector and 22,850,811 for the recs.

Now don’t get me wrong, if I were the beneficent dictator I’d restrict longline gear without hesitation. But looking at the numbers, longline gear would have to be catching, or maybe that would correctly be landing, only big dolphin for it to be the sole cause of the decline in numbers. The recreational allocation is roughly 13 times that of the commercial sector. Simply put, the recreational sector has a far greater ability to influence the future structure of the stock.

As NOAA Fisheries looks for ways to improve stock structure the recreational sector should push to have electronic monitoring be required on all of the longline vessels with dolphin permits. This should give a better idea of the actual catch and bycatch in this fishery, and could answer the question about bigger dolphin. It is also my thinking that the recreational sector should push for some additional, perhaps temporary, restrictions on its catch. Many of those in attendance at the meeting even suggested lower individual or vessel limits. Local charter boat associations could even institute voluntary limits and push for private anglers to do the same. One thing for sure is that with the growth rate for dolphin, it should not take too long to see what the results would be.

It appears that something needs to be done. There is likely some pain to get to the gain, but doing nothing seems like a bad course to sail on. Perhaps NOAA Fisheries also needs to do some research into whether there are some environmental factors at work here.

The post Mahi Mystery appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Silver tails slicing a flat’s glassy surface at daybreak. A subtle V-wake moving along a mangrove-fringed shoreline. A trio of gray silhouettes gliding silently toward the bow over white sand. These are just a few of the scenes that come to mind when anglers think about bonefish, a species that has evolved over millennia to thrive in the shallows.

The Gray Ghost rarely ventures out of its comfort zone; in tagging studies by Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT), a Florida-based conservation organization, 70 percent of recaptured bonefish were caught within one kilometer of where they were initially tagged.

Bonefish Spawning Behavior is Fascinating

But it’s a different story come spawning season, which spans fall to spring. During full and new moon cycles, bonefish leave the relative safety of their home flats and travel great distances to nearshore areas where they form giant schools called pre-spawning aggregations (PSAs) that number thousands of fish. BTT has documented bonefish migrating as far as 70 miles to reach a PSA site, a remarkable feat for a fish that rarely weighs more than 10 pounds.

Bonefish in the PSA prepare to spawn by gulping air at the surface to fill their swim bladders. Then at night they swim offshore and dive hundreds of feet in water that can be thousands of feet deep. Just think about that for a moment—a fish designed for the flats descending the distance of a football field or more in dark waters inhabited by pelagic species, sharks, and numerous other predators. Talk about being out of your comfort zone.

“In 2019, we documented the first complete track of a bonefish spawning aggregation, and recorded a dive depth of 450 feet,” said Dr. Aaron Adams, BTT’s Director of Science and Conservation. “At that depth, bonefish experience 13 times the atmospheric pressure that they experience on the flats.”

After their deep dive, the bonefish surge back up toward the surface. The sudden pressure change makes their full swim bladders expand, helping to release their eggs and sperm. Once fertilization takes place, the hatched larvae drift in the ocean’s currents for between one and two months before settling in shallow sand- or mud-bottom bays, where they develop into juvenile bonefish.

Genetics and ocean modeling studies by BTT show that some larvae spawned in Belize and Mexico wind up in the Florida Keys. These findings underscore the need to think both locally and regionally when it comes to conserving bonefish populations.

Where do Bonefish Gather to Spawn?

With the assistance of guides and partners, BTT has identified PSA sites along the Belize-Mexico border and in the Bahamas, where the organization helped secure the establishment of five national parks—and the expansion of a sixth—in 2015 to protect bonefish spawning areas, home ranges, and the migration pathways bonefish use to reach PSA sites.

“Identifying and conserving PSA sites is vital to the health of the fishery because they are the source of larvae that supports both nearby and distant bonefish populations,” explained Adams. “Habitat loss or degradation, or disruption of spawning behavior by boat traffic or unsustainable fishing practices, negatively impacts a PSA’s ability to produce the next generation.”

In the Florida Keys, BTT is utilizing state-of-the-art acoustic tags and the knowledge of veteran guides to home in on PSA sites, which to date have not been fully documented.

“There are a couple possible reasons that might explain the lack of known spawning sites in the Keys,” said Dr. Ross Boucek, BTT’s Florida Keys Initiative Manager. “Maybe for a time the size of the spawning school in the Keys shrank to the point that it wasn’t noticeable to us. Or maybe the size of the Keys population became so small that the fish completely stopped spawning for a period of time. Fish won’t spawn if there aren’t a critical number of spawning fish.”

Bonefish Spawning in the Florida Keys

Last spawning season, Boucek made a number of promising advances in BTT’s search for PSAs in the Keys. He and his team tagged 50 bonefish and logged more than 1,400 detections; 965 were at a site where several guides reported a potential PSA. Nine bonefish detected there had been tagged on distant flats, including a fish tagged 50 miles away.

“These data represent significant progress in our multi-year project that will identify bonefish PSAs in the Keys,” said Boucek. “We will continue to analyze the data, and look forward to applying it to advance our search next spawning season.”

So the next time you land a bonefish on the flats, consider the long journey that fish on your line must make into the open ocean to spawn, and do your part to make sure it swims away healthy and strong. 

The post Why Are Bonefish in Offshore Waters? appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

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We were drifting deep baits for blackfin tuna over Islamorada’s 409 Hump, all eyes focused on our rods—except for Nathan Quinn’s. Fortunately for us, he spotted a big mahi swimming past the side of the boat the rest of us weren’t paying attention to. 

He pointed in the direction of the migrating fish, and I followed up by grabbing a 20-pound spinning outfit and pitching a ballyhoo far up-current.

A few moments later, a large bull mahi took to the air without so much as bouncing the rod tip. It had consumed the ballyhoo while swimming back to our boat. I got tight to the fish and spent the next 30 or so minutes bringing the 38-pounder to gaff. September had once again lived up to its reputation as a peak mahi time off the Florida Keys.

Quality Fishing Without the Boat Traffic  

August, September and even October are referred to as the doldrums in the Florida Keys, but not because of the fishing. The island chain is quiet, tourist-wise, and even the ocean becomes a lonely place, particularly during a weekday. But don’t break out the violins just yet. This period delivers some of the best mahi fishing of the year, and you can bet the local anglers like to keep it all to themselves.

I recall doing a seminar with Capt. Bouncer Smith over two decades ago and being asked to pick one month for big mahi. Smith answered May, and I replied August. Both are correct answers, but I dusted off my old scrapbooks and photo albums to see if my records could shed some light on the question. I counted the big mahi we caught during just these two months. Numerous 20-pounders and some 30- and 40-pound fish were taken in both May and August, but the edge slightly favored August. Of course, big fish were also caught sporadically throughout the summer, but May and August were the most consistent months for fish of 30 pounds and heavier.

Not Your Grandfather’s Mahi Season

Shannon Attales, who captains Enigma out of Islamorada’s World Wide Sportsman, claims August, September and October have certainly produced good mahi action over the past few years. “It’s hard to say why mahi fishing has become so good during this period,” Attales says. “But the sargassum weed has been much more abundant, and ballyhoo have been arriving earlier on our reefs. Come early fall, it’s not unusual to see mahi chasing ballyhoo in 30 feet of water—singles or pairs of 20- to 30-pounders.

“As we begin sliding into September and October, the broken bottom between 450 and 750 feet becomes very consistent for mahi,” Attales continues. “I believe the current strikes this bottom and pushes upwellings of cooler water closer to the surface. We’re swordfishing on the ledge a bunch during this time and don’t see as many mahi that far beyond this broken bottom.”

Attales says easy-to-spot birds working the surface thin out over this period, making it harder to uncover migrating packs of mahi. “It’s a matter of checking out every piece of debris, no matter how small, and any weed edges, no matter how slight,” he says. 

Fast-paced running- and-gunning for birds or uncovering weed patches and debris is a viable option early in the season, but trolling takes precedence during the late show. “We’ll troll four outfits,” Attales says. “Usually, it’s a pair of Islamorada Flyer Lures way back on flat lines, and a ballyhoo/chugger and a plain ballyhoo from the outriggers. Covering ground along any bit of weeds or concentrations of flyers is the way to uncover mahi then.”

Marathon Capt. Ariel Medero agrees trolling is key for catching late-season mahi. “The birds are not on the fish like early on,” he says. “So, I’ll troll along any weeds or debris I see.”  

This past October, Medero and I were fishing for late-season mahi and came across a large, submerged cargo net in 600 feet of water. Thinking we had just found a diamond mine, it only gave up one mahi. As we continued seaward, my SiriusXM Marine Fish Mapping analysis showed a strong plankton front not that much farther offshore. Here, flying fish showered from an off-blue ocean sprinkled with barely discernible patches of sargassum. Dragging a pair of ballyhoo uncovered a large school of mahi. The scene repeated itself even farther offshore. This served as a prime example as to the importance of investigating even what appears as a marginal find. It could very well produce the homerun hit.

Trolling Tips

When sargassum weed is dense, I rig my ballyhoo weedless, with the hook inverted into the bait and a small skirt over its snout. Despite how dense the weeds are, we can troll without fouling our baits. Therefore, our baits remain in play in sargassum-rich areas that some anglers avoid for fear of their traditional baits and lures collecting a bunch of salad.

Pay attention to the size of flying fish in an area because mahi often go on selective feeds. If the flyers are small, troll small ballyhoo with small blue skirts over their snouts. If the flyers are large, deploy medium or large skirted ballyhoo. Make your offerings mimic those flyers in terms of both size and color. If mahi are around but avoiding your trolling spread, this trick can change your luck.

Sound Advice

The entire length of the Florida Keys has mahi fishing opportunities in late summer and early fall, including well-known tourist hubs such as Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, the lower Keys and Key West. 

DIY dolphin fishing is definitely possible if you have a capable boat, trailer and tackle. But it still might be easier to book a trip with one of the many local experienced captains.

If you’re on the fence about planning a Florida Keys mahi trip during August, September or even into October, Medero sums it up perfectly: “The fish are here, the waters are less crowded, and you might even get a break on your hotel room. What’s not to like?” 

George’s Hit List

Here’s a sampling of places I’ll stay when fishing in the Florida Keys:

• Key Largo
  • Ocean Pointe Suites, providentresorts.com, 800-882-9464
• Islamorada
  • Pines & Palms Resort, pinesandpalms.com, 800-624-0964
• Marathon
  • Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, faroblancoresort.com, 305-743-1234
• Lower Keys
  • Parmer’s Resort, parmersresort.com, 305-872-2157
• Key West
  • Opal Key Resort & Marina, opalkeywest.com, 866-790-2197

Great Mahi Guides in the Florida Keys

Here’s a sampling of captains to consider when fishing in the Florida Keys:

• Key Largo
  • Capt. Kevin Jeffries, firstdowncharters.com, 305-409-4789
• Islamorada
  • Capt. Shannon Attales, Enigma Fishing Charters, @captshannonattales, 305-522-5587
• Marathon
  • Capt. Ariel Medero, biggamesportfish.com, 305-731-4348
• Lower Keys
  • Capt. Beau Woods, fishdoubleocharters.com, 305-731-6892
• Key West 
  • Capt. Brad Nowicki, offtherockcharters.com, 305-481-7908

The post Florida Keys Mahi Fishing in Late Summer and Early Fall appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.

Summary:

• Researchers sampled 93 bonefish in South Florida since 2018.
• An average of seven prescription drugs were found per bonefish.
• A total of 17 pharmaceutical drugs were found in a single fish.
• Researchers also found pharmaceuticals in bonefish prey, including crabs, shrimp and finfish.

Recently announced results of a three-year study revealed traces of numerous pharmaceuticals in the blood and tissue of bonefish captured in popular South Florida waters.

The study was conducted in Miami-Dade County’s Biscayne Bay as well as the Florida Keys by Florida International University scientists working in collaboration with Sweden’s Umeå University and University of Agricultural Sciences, whose labs made possible the specialized testing required.

The research was funded by Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, a conservation group focused on the protection and proliferation of bonefish, tarpon and permit, their habitats, and the larger fisheries they comprise across the southeastern US, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean through science-based conservation, education and advocacy.

Florida’s Bonefish Are getting Drug Tested

Researchers have sampled 93 bonefish in South Florida since the project got underway in 2018, finding an average of seven prescription drugs per specimen, and up to 17 pharmaceuticals in a single fish.

Blood-pressure medications, antidepressants, prostate treatment medications, antibiotics and pain relievers were among the long list of over-the-counter drugs encountered. Researchers also found an average of 11 pharmaceuticals in forage species that bonefish commonly feed on, including crabs, shrimp and small finfish, which suggests that many of Florida’s other valuable fisheries could also be exposed.

The project’s lead researcher, Dr. Jennifer Rehage of the FIU Coastal Fisheries Research Lab, presented the study’s findings in Tallahassee, Florida, during a BTT panel event.

“These findings are truly alarming,” she said. “Pharmaceuticals are an invisible hazard, unlike algal blooms or turbid waters. Yet these results tell us that they are a formidable threat to our fisheries, and highlight the pressing need to address our long-standing wastewater infrastructure issues.”

“Coastal fisheries face increasing threats associated with human-based contaminants,” says Jim McDuffie, BTT president and CEO. “Pharmaceuticals are an often-overlooked dimension of water quality, and their presence in South Florida bonefish is cause for concern. These contaminants pose a significant threat to the flats fishery, an important part of Florida’s recreational saltwater fishing, which has an annual economic impact of $9.2 billion and directly supports 88,500 jobs.”

Pharmaceutical Drugs Are the Main Culprit

Approximately 5 billion prescriptions are filled each year in the US, yet there are no environmental regulations for the proper disposal of pharmaceuticals worldwide. And pharmaceutical contaminants originate most often in human wastewater, and are not sufficiently removed by conventional water treatment. They remain active at low doses, can be released constantly, and exposure could affect all aspects of fish behavior, with negative consequences for both their reproduction and survival. In fact, pharmaceutical contaminants have been shown to affect all aspects of the life of fish, including their feeding, level of activity, sociability and migratory behavior.

“The findings underscore the urgent need to expand and modernize wastewater treatment facilities and sewage infrastructure statewide,” McDuffie says.

Cleaning Florida’s Waterways is a Slow Process

“Water quality is vital to our state’s identity and economy, and the Clean Waterways Act, which addresses wastewater, septic, storm-water management, nutrient reduction, and new standards for biosolid applications, was a great step to make a difference for Florida’s natural resources,” says Florida Rep. Bobby Payne (R-19).

 “Legislative support and funding for water-quality improvements set us on the right path. Now we must expedite those efforts, increase long-term investment, and pursue innovative solutions. We must accelerate the conversion from septic tanks to sewer systems and, in places where they’re not available, require the use of advanced septic technology. The health of our citizens and coastal resources depends on it,” McDuffie adds.

The post South Florida Fish Test Positive for Drugs appeared first on Salt Water Sportsman.