Utilize Fishery-Dependent and Fishery-Independent Data to Improve Understanding of Biscayne National Park Marine Resources

The National Park Service intends to award a cooperative agreement to the University of Miami to utilize fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data to improve understanding of Biscayne National Park marine resources. The project aims to refine existing and future data streams to track the efficacy of management actions resulting from the implementation of the Fishery Management Plan and General Management Plan. The project has three research objectives: obtain accurate and precise baseline fisheries-dependent data, analyze existing fisheries-independent data, and evaluate quantitative relationships between fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent data. The project will provide data and information to guide management of park fishery resources, ultimately benefiting visitors who come to the park to enjoy these resources. • Obtain accurate and precise baseline fisheries-dependent data from creel surveys. • Analyze existing fisheries-independent data from visual sampling to design a pre-FMP implementation survey. • Evaluate quantitative relationships between fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent data to facilitate determination of changes in sustainability status of fishery resources.