Geology topics

James A. Bohnsack

Publications and source records attributed to James A. Bohnsack.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS1999

Effectiveness of an existing estuarine no-take fish sanctuary within the Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Approximately 22% of the waters of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, have been closed to public access and fishing since 1962. These closed areas offer an opportunity to test the effectiveness of “no-take” sanctuaries by analyzing two replicated estuarine areas. Areas open and closed to fishing were sampled from Nov 1986 to Jan 1990 with 653 random trammel-net sets, each enclosing 3,721 m 2 . Samples from no-fishing areas had significantly (P < 0.05) greater abundance and larger fishes than fished areas. Relative abundance (standardized catch per unit effort, CPUE) in protected areas (6.4 fish/set) was 2.6 times greater than in the fished areas (2.4 fish/set) for total game fish, 2.4 times greater for spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus , 6.3 times greater for red drum Sciaenops ocellatus, 12.8 times greater for black drum Pogonias cromis , 5.3 times greater for common snook Centropomus undecimalis , and 2.6 times greater for striped mullet Mugil cephalus . Fishing had the primary effect on CPUE, independent of habitat and other environmental factors. Salinity and depth were important secondary factors affecting CPUE, followed by season or month, and temperature. The importance of specific factors varied with each species. Median and maximum size of red drum, spotted seatrout, black drum, and striped mullet were also significantly greater in the unfished areas. More and larger fish of spawning age were observed in the unfished areas for red drum, spotted seatrout, and black drum. Tagging studies documented export of important sport fish from protected areas to fished areas.

Florida↗

USGS1995

Reef fishes of the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a chain of islands extending 320 km (199 mi) along the southern edge of the Florida Plateau from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas (101 km [63 mi] west of Key West). The Florida Reef Tract, a band of living coral reefs paralleling the Keys, extends from Fowey Rocks to the Marquesas and includes about 130 km (81 mi) of bank reefs and 6,000 patch reefs. For convenience, the Keys can be divided into the upper, middle, and lower Keys (Fig. 1). The environmental and economic importance of the Florida Keys is indicated by the many protected or regulated areas, which include several national wildlife refuges, national parks, marine sanctuaries, and state-protected areas (Fig. 1). Because many recreational and commercial activities occur in nearshore habitats, these areas have high potential for environmental damage. Relatively high rates of human population increase (28%-44%) are predicted over the next 20 years in some parts of the Keys; Monroe County, which includes all of the Keys, had a population growth of 160% during the past 40 years. Human activities associated with increased population growth may well ultimately disrupt the Florida Keys marine ecosystem and damage the area's overall economy. In recognition of this possibility, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1990 under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, U.S. Public Law 101-605. The sanctuary includes 9,515 km 2 (3,673 mi 2 ) of coastal waters around the Florida Keys. The Sanctuaries and Reserves Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was charged with developing a comprehensive management plan and regulations to protect sanctuary resources (NOAA 1995). We focus on the current status of Florida Keys reef fishes and areas where research is needed immediately.

Florida↗