LAKE APOPKA WATER SUMMIT Marty Hale Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management

National Economic Impact of Fishing 33 million people 16 or older fish They spend $48 billion annually on tackle, licenses, trips, and other related items These expenditures support more than 828,000 jobs in the US Fishing is the dominant economic driver in many rural communities

Economic Value of Fishing in Florida $5 billion spent by anglers in 2011 which generated an economic impact of $8.7 billion Those monies supported 80,211 jobs that paid $2.7 billion in total salaries/wages and generated $517 million in state and local revenue An estimated 1.2 million non-resident anglers spent $898 million in direct expenditures in 2011

Is Florida the Fishing Capitol of the World? Florida ranked #1 with 3.1 million anglers while New York was #2 at 1.9 million Florida ranked #1 in expenditures at $5 billion while New York was #2 at $2.7 billion Florida ranked #1 in non-resident anglers at 1.2 million while Michigan was #2 at 347,000 anglers

Lake Apopka’s Sport Fishery

Famous Lake Apopka Bass

Developing Sport Fish Populations Fish – Bass, crappie, bream, and catfish populations are present now, and sunshine bass are stocked annually. Water Quality – While Lake Apopka’s water quality can be dramatically improved, it is adequate to support good sport fish populations where good habitat exists. Habitat – This is the main limiting factor. Less than 0.5% of the lake had vegetated habitat before recent restoration efforts began.

Vegetation Goal Pre-Restoration Condition – Vegetated coverage was <0.5% in Lake Apopka. Goal – Increase aquatic vegetation coverage to 10% in Lake Apopka in 10 years.

Challenges Poor light penetration – secchi disc readings are typically 1 foot or less. Large deposits of flocculent mud. Limited littoral areas – 20,000 acres of marshes cut off from lake by levees. Functions as a Reservoir – 5 feet of water 50 feet from levees at minimum desirable lake level. Extreme wind fetches – Over 10 miles in distance across the lake.

Our Plan Focus on planting spatterdock (water lilies) and giant bulrush. These native aquatic species able to establish and survive in deeper water. Establish submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) behind “wave breaks” created by spatterdock and bulrush plantings.

Planting Scheme

Spatterdock Nursery Plants

Spatterdock Wild Harvest Plants

Spring/Summer/Fall 2013 Planted 25,000 wild harvested spatterdock. Planted 10,000 nursery grow-out spatterdock. Planted 500 UF greenhouse spatterdock. Laughlin Road Site

Spring/2014 Planted 50,000 wild harvested spatterdock. Planted 10,000 nursery grow-out spatterdock. Planted 300 UF greenhouse spatterdock.

Spatterdock Survival Estimates Wild harvest ~60% survival. Nursery grow-out ~75% survival. UF greenhouse grow-out ~80% survival. Total # spatterdock plants installed – 96,000

Costs to Plant Spatterdock Wild harvest - $2.58/plant. Nursery grow-out - $6.80/plant. UF greenhouse grow-out - ~$27.80/plant. Total Spent (as of May 2014) - $327,753

Wild Cards Water Levels/Water Storage (water levels in north shore planting zones 6 feet at upper end of regulation schedule). Wind/wave energy generated on a 30,000-acre water body (initial plantings have survived winter and summer storms so far). Tropical storm after 1970’s effort Toxicity of some sediments?

High Sediment Sulfide Concentrations Causing Plant Damage?

Bulrush Planting Installed 317,000 plants in for $78,000 Attempted more planting in but water levels were too high

Progress Toward 10% Goal (as of May 2014) ~450 acres aquatic plants (1.5% of lake) Next steps – evaluate survival and expansion of planted vegetation; conduct test plots of SAV planted in protected spots behind emergent plants

Seaplane Destination

Fish Attractors Forty-five 1/4 acre brush fish attractors were installed in Lake Apopka during 2013 Total cost was $120,909

Overall View of Fish Attractor Sites on Lake Apopka

Fish Attractor Sites on the North Shore of Lake Apopka 4 attractors 1.5 miles from north shore 4 attractors located on rock bed 1.1 miles from Weather station

Fish Attractor Sites on the South and West Shoreline 6 attractors offshore from.5 to.8 miles 2 attractors off point 15 attractors near south shoreline 14 attractors near west shoreline

FWC Angler Creel Survey

Lake Apopka Creel Survey (11/30/12 through 05/05/13)

Lake Apopka Sunshine Bass FWC has stocked 1,196,108 sunshine bass in Lake Apopka since

Sunshine Bass From Lake Apopka

Fish Consumption Advisory Contaminant Presence –Mercury –Pesticides Fish Safe to Consume in Moderation

Poor Habitat = Fewer Juvenile Bass Few Age-1

Catch Rate of Bass From the Harris Chain of Lakes

However…There are Big Bass in the Quality Habitat 12.7 lbs10.5 and 11 in same dip

Angling Public is “Catching” On “…the lake produced two limits of fish up to 6 pounds in a period of about 3 hours.” –Captain Phil Kelley Photo credit: lakecountybass.com

QUESTIONS?