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RECENT & REVISED PUBLICATIONS

Ammonia in Aquatic Systems

FA031/FA16 by Ruth Francis-Floyd, Craig Watson, Denise Petty, and Deborah B. PouderDecember 15th, 2023Management of ammonia, the primary waste product of fish, is critical to fish health, especially in intensive systems. At low concentrations, ammonia causes stress and damages gills and other tissues. Fish exposed to low levels of ammonia over time are more susceptible to bacterial infections, have poor growth, and do not tolerate routine handling well. At higher concentrations, it will kill fish. Many unexplained production losses have likely been caused by ammonia.Critical Issue: Agricultural and Food Systems

Understanding Metrics for Communicating the Economic Importance of Florida’s Fisheries Part I: An Overview

FA260/FA260by Edward V. Camp, Christa D. Court, Andrew Ropicki, and Robert BottaSeptember 5th, 2023Understanding the economic importance of fisheries and coastal resources is vitally important for making good management decisions that affect human communities, local businesses, and environment and ecological sustainability. However, economic “importance” is not a very specific term, and can mean completely different things to different people. We reviewed different fields of natural resource economics to and describe the different economic terms most often used. This information can help management agencies and cooperative Extension agents use the correct terminology and teach the correct terminology in their outreach.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment

Recreational Fishing Effort and How Management Actions Can Affect It—Part 2: Literature and a Case Study

FA259/FA259by Edward Camp, Micheal S. Allen, Thomas T. Ankersen, Savanna Barry, and Mark W. ClarkJuly 13th, 2023Recreational fishing, crucially important to Florida’s economy and ecosystems, can be affected by management decisions. Decisions that change the allowable harvest or the type of access to certain fishing areas are often expected to have strong effects on fishing effort, but the outcome of these actions is not always obvious. To provide greater insight into what may happen to fishing effort after management decisions, we describe case studies from the North American fisheries literature, some Florida-specific. These illustrate that the same or similar management actions (e.g., a more restrictive harvest policy) can have opposite effects on total fishing effort depending on the specifics of the case. We use this information as well as additional fisheries theory to explore a specific case study—what might happen if special harvest or access regulations were applied to a popular but ecologically and environmentally sensitive habitat—Florida's St. Martins Marsh Aquatic Preserve.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment

The Effects of Regulations on the Florida Ornamental Aquaculture Industry, an Infographic

FA258/FA258by By Noah C. Boldt, Jonathan van Senten, Carole R. Engle, Eric J. Cassiano, and Matthew A. DiMaggioJune 1st, 2023This infographic accompanies "The Effects of Regulation on Ornamental Aquaculture Farms in Florida" (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FA248), an Ask IFAS factsheet that discusses the results of a study conducted to measure the impact of regulations on ornamental aquaculture farms in Florida using on-farm data from 2018. Florida’s diverse ornamental aquaculture industry has many unique challenges that set it apart from other aquaculture commodity groups. The numerous production techniques, diversity of species, and various market outlets make the ornamental aquaculture industry an intriguing study in how regulations impact the industry. By understanding regulatory impacts, we can streamline efforts to address them.Critical Issue: Agricultural and Food Systems

Recreational Fishing Effort and How Management Actions Can Affect It—Part 1: Theory

FA257/FA257by Edward Camp, Micheal S. Allen, Thomas T. Ankersen, Savanna Barry, and Mark W. ClarkApril 3rd, 2023Recreational fishing is especially important to Florida’s economy and ecosystems. One of the most important metrics of recreational fisheries is “effort”—defined as the number of trips taken during a time and place. Effort is so important because it directly affects fish population sustainability, economic value and market activity. But what determines fishing effort? This publication describes the mechanisms that drive fishing effort. It specifically details the processes by which management actions can directly and indirectly affect fishing effort, and how feedbacks between these actions can change effort. The information in this document is critical for people involved with management decisions, like agency personnel and their stakeholders; those wanting to explain it to others, like extension agents; directly affected stakeholders like recreational fishers and guides; or simply the general public who want to know more about recreational fisheries in Florida.Critical Issue: Natural Resources and Environment