Florida Freshwater Fisheries Offices--Eustis Fisheries Research Laboratory

EUSTIS FISHERIES RESEARCH LABORATORY

Eustis Fisheries Laboratory
601 West Woodward Avenue
Eustis, FL 32726

Phone: 352/742-6438
Fax: 352/742-6461
Manager: Mr. Bill Coleman
Email: william.coleman@MyFWC.com

The Eustis Fisheries Research Laboratory is our largest field complex. It includes individuals working specifically on largemouth Bass, bluegill and redear sunfish, and various catfish species, aquatic plant management, lakes of the Ocklawaha River basin, fisheries data base management, aquatic chemistry and mercury analyses, and commercial fisheries.

OVERVIEW
Photo of Eustis lab The Eustis Fishery Research Laboratory opened in 1966 and has undergone several expansions since then. Its central location is an asset to the biologists, chemists and other scientists who work not only on local projects such as the Ocklawaha River Basin Project, and the Central Florida Aquatic Plant Management Project, but also to biologists who have statewide research responsibilities for species such as largemouth bass, bluegill and redear sunfish, and catfish, as well as, a focal point for aquatic chemistry analysis and mercury assessments, and managing commercial fisheries.

Ocklawaha River Basin Project
This project has been active since the mid-1960's. Data collection and management activities such as installing boat ramps, fishing piers, and fish attractors have been performed on many of the lakes, as well as making aquatic habitat enhancements by planting native plants. This basin includes lakes Apopka, Dora, Eustis, Harris, Griffin and Yale, as well as the Clermont chain of lakes (Cherry, Minneola, Minnehaha, and Louisa).

Central Florida Aquatic Plant Management group
This project is responsible for issuing triploid grass carp permits, and for providing recommendations that ensure fish and fisheries are considered by other agencies that have statutory responsibility for managing aquatic plants.

Bass Research Coordination
Electrofishing boats collect fish and allow them to be released alive. This project has conducted studies on all aspects of the life history of largemouth bass. They have been involved in interpreting the genetic importance of the Florida largemouth bass, which is a distinct subspecies and ensuring proper hatchery safeguards are in place to protect these valuable stocks. They have evaluated the age-growth dynamics of bass and assessed critical spawning, survival and growth requirements for bass to survive. This information joined with specific details about bass populations, habitat conditions and creel information pertaining to angler use allow them to work with local fisheries management biologists to recommend strategies for the optimum-sustained use of these fish. Such strategies include habitat management, stock supplementation and regulation management. (See also the Fisheries Update articles on bass: article one, article two; and our list of ten top-notched bass lakes.)

Bream (Panfish) Research Coordination
Steve Crawford is the Panfish Specialist currently researching bluegill and redear population dynamics in peninsular Florida. Current studies predominantly focus on Lake Panasoffkee and include: impact of anglers on bluegill and redear populations, size structures, age and growth, food habits and fish movements within the lake. Data is also being collected as panfish size structure, condition and ages from lakes of different trophic levels. Assistance is also provided to other biologists and includes assessment of stocking bluegill X redear hybrids in a small Orlando area lake as part of the Greater Orlando Sportfish Project. (See also the Fisheries Update article on panfish: article one; and our list of 15 top-notched panfish lakes.)

Catfish Research Coordination
Hoopnets used primarily to catch catfish The catfish research specialist has not only evaluated the life history and distribution of Florida's numerous freshwater catfish species, but has also been intimately involved in studying both their recreational and commercial use. A periodic publication entitled "The Catfish Man" is available online with great articles, tips, recipes, fish descriptions and more.. (see also Fisheries Updates for articles on catfish: article one, article two).

Water quality and aquatic contaminants are important issues for Florida’s freshwater ecosystems. The Limnology Laboratory performs water quality testing and fish tissue analyses as part of statewide assessments of our aquatic resources.

Freshwater Limnology

Limnology is the study of the life and phenomena of fresh water communities. Limnologists study the physical, chemical, and biotic components of freshwaters systems to better understand functional relationships that control such things as water quality and a waterbodies ability to support fish populations. Water quality samples are analyzed from select water bodies throughout the state to assess the relationships between physical and chemical characteristics of water and fish management issues. Current projects include: long-term water quality assessment efforts in the Kissimmee and Harris chains of lakes to aid developing viable fisheries management and lake restoration strategies; an evaluation of the effects of in-lake aeration on ammonia-nitrogen levels and the impacts on fish populations in a reclaimed phosphate lake; and an assessment of the effects of rough fish removal on water quality parameters, zooplankton dynamics, and their implications on managing sustainable fish populations in a small lake.

Water quality data produced by FWC can be found under the agency code 21FLGFWF on the EPA's STORET Web site (http://www.epa.gov/storet/dbtop.html). Data are divided into two databases, the Legacy STORET, which includes data supplied to EPA prior to 1999, and the Modernized STORET, which contains data from 1 January 1999 onward. STORET data is accessible through FLDEP STORET Web site (http://storet.dep.state.fl.us). Data is available by station, station based on map location, or by individual water chemistry parameters. There is also a link back to the EPA STORET web page.

Secchi disk Additional information on water quality and quantity is available at the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Web site (http://water.usgs.gov/), and through other state agencies, including the water management districts (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/watman). The USGS and the water management districts also maintain data in STORET.

Mercury Contamination Research
Laboratory staff members conduct research on the range and extent of mercury contamination in Florida through several statewide projects. Current research efforts include long-term monitoring and assessment of fish mercury levels in state waters.

Fish Consumption advisory sampling is conducted to provide pertinent up-to-date data to the Florida Department of Health (DOH) on mercury levels in species of fish from lakes, rivers, canals, estuaries, and marshes such as the Everglades. The waters chosen for testing are not necessarily ones that are more contaminated but where angling is popular and where there is a suspected mercury pollution problem.

Trends in mercury concentrations in fish are tracked using a network of sites located throughout the state. Largemouth bass are monitored due to their ability to accumulate high concentrations of mercury at 15 established locations including sites in the water conservation areas of the Everglades, lakes in central Florida, and rivers from central and north Florida. filleting fish

Specific research projects directed at learning about the behavior of mercury in the environment are also underway. Research in the Everglades water conservation areas studied how mercury moves into fish from the prey that they eat and how different habitat types influence mercury bioaccumulation up the food chain. Data from this project was used extensively by the South Florida Mercury Program (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/labs/mercury/) to produce the “Everglades Mercury TMDL Study” released in November 2003.

With over 3 million acres of lakes, 12,000 miles of rivers and streams, and 11,000 miles of canals, FWC does not have the ability to test all freshwaters for mercury in fish. Therefore, health advisory monitoring is focused on popular angling areas and water bodies suspected to have high fish mercury concentrations. To increase our predictive capability, FWC is conducting a study to evaluate the relationships between physical and chemical lake characteristics and mercury accumulation in largemouth bass in lakes throughout the state. This study’s objective is to develop a statistically based model to predict fish mercury levels using water quality data. This model will be used to develop comprehensive statewide freshwater fish consumption advisories at a fraction of the cost of directly analyzing fish from each lake. Also in the works is a study to look at broader, region-based physical and chemical characteristics of lakes to predict mercury concentrations.

State Fish Consumption Advisories are listed on the Florida Department of Health Web site (http://www.myfloridaeh.com/hsee/fishconsumptionadvisories/Index.html)

Commercial Fisheries Management
Pound net on the St. Johns River Commercial fisheries in Florida's freshwaters primarily involve the harvest of nongame species such as tilapia, shiners and catfish that, with proper management, can sustain healthy populations. Gear types vary including trotlines, slat baskets, hoop nets, minnow lift nets and haul-seines. This project ensures proper regulations are in place to maintain the fish populations, safeguard aquatic habitat and limit conflicts between competing resource users. The project also maintains a data base pertaining to the amount of fish harvested.

Take Me Fishing.org is a great general information site for recreational anglers and boaters.

Florida Fishing Capital of the World--Great Resources, Responsible Management