Private: Fisheries and Conservation in the Coral ECA: A Stakeholder Process

Fisheries and Conservation in the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area: A Stakeholder Process

Coral reefs ecosystems and fisheries in the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area are important to south Florida ecologically and economically. The conservation area, formerly referred to as the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) Region and also known as the Coral ECA, includes the sovereign submerged lands and state waters offshore of Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties from the northern boundary of the Biscayne National Park to the St. Lucie Inlet. Fisheries stakeholders are interested in working together towards enhancing conservation of these ecosystems and resources.

A stakeholder process is underway to develop recommendations for potential fisheries and environmental management actions to enhance coral reef ecosystem conservation and fishing quality in the Coral ECA. The stakeholder process is SEFCRI Project #52, and is facilitated by is facilitated by University of Florida (UF) and supported by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Coral Reef Conservation Program, and partners Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the NOAA Coral Reef Program.

The process engages diverse fisheries stakeholders from southeast Florida, including recreational anglers and spearfishers, headboat and charter operators, commercial fishers targeting reef-associated species, marine life collectors, marine industry (bait and tackle shops, marinas) and their respective organizations. The process is driven by a Fisheries Stakeholder Committee and involves wider community engagement through public meetings and scientific surveys. The recommendations will be made for consideration by agencies and will be subject to further deliberation through the respective agencies’ rule making processes.

Committee Members

Fisheries stakeholder representatives from the ECA:

  • Arostegui, Martin
  • Aukeman, Trip
  • Cohn, Patience
  • Collins, Chuck
  • Jennings, Gary
  • Kipnis, Dan
  • Marx, Bruce
  • Mathie, Jim “Chiefy”
  • Olsen, Ed “Butch”
  • Parks, William
  • Poveromo, George
  • Price, April
  • Sapp, Art
  • Smith, Randolph “Bouncer”
  • Sprague, John
  • Taylor, William
  • Twyford, Tom
  • Vernon, Harry “Court”

Project Lead

University of Florida School of Forest Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences

Project Partners

NOAA logo
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission logo
Florida Sea Grant logo

Sign Up For Updates

To receive updates and/or public meeting notices about the stakeholder process, subscribe below.

Resource Links

Fact Sheet

Fisheries and Conservation in the Kristin Jacobs Coral ECA: A Stakeholder Process Fact Sheet

Meetings

Committee Meetings

June 4, 2020: Agenda, Meeting Minutes

Sept. 3, 2020: Agenda, Meeting Minutes

Nov. 12, 2020: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Jan. 28, 2021: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Apr. 1, 2021: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

May 27, 2021: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Aug 31/Sept 2, 2021:
Part 1: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video
Part 2: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Nov 2/Nov 4, 2021:
Part 1: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video
Part 2: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Dec 7/Dec 9, 2021:
Part 1: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video
Part 2: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Feb 8/Feb 10, 2022:
Part 1: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video
Part 2: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

March 1/March 3, 2022:
Part 1: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video
Part 2: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Public Meetings

Mar. 11, 2021: Agenda, Meeting Minutes, Video

Webinars

Water Quality (Update) – Aug. 24: Video

Reef Ecology – Aug. 17, 2021: Video

Coral Ecosystems – Jan. 19, 2021: Video

Fisheries Status – Jan. 25, 2021: Video

Water Quality – Oct. 29, 2020: Video

Our Florida Reefs – Oct. 28, 2020: Video

Addressing Fisheries Information Gaps – May 25, 2021: Video

Contact

Susana Hervas Avila, PhD, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources & Conservation, University of Florida, [email protected]