Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management

Ecosystem-based fisheries management is the management of fish stocks in such a way as to strive to maintain healthy fish stocks through the promotion of a diverse complex of organisms.  The goal of ecosystem-based fisheries management is to maintain ecosystem health and sustainability through the preservation of diversity.  The diverse structures used in the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program promotes a diverse number of habitats crating niches for a diverse assemblage of organisms, including fishes from the snapper-grouper complex, pelagic baitfish and other forage species,  sharks and other pelagic predators, sea turtles, and invertebrates.

The attached diagram is a reproduction of the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council's Snapper-Grouper Complex, which includes 59 fish species found on Florida's reefs and hardbottoms.  Of these species, 44 species are inhabitants of St. Lucie County.  Many of these species use other habitat (i.e. Indian River Lagoon, deepwater reefs and hardbottoms) to complete their life histories.  Of the 44 species inhabiting St. Lucie County, 20 species in the snapper-grouper complex have already been documented using St. Lucie County's artificial reefs.  29 other fish species including baitfish, pelagics, permit, rays, sharks, red drum, snook, and tripletail have been documented using the County's artificial reefs.

Because many of the species using St. Lucie County's artificial reefs also use the Indian River Lagoon (i.e. snook) or deeper water reefs (i.e. snowy grouper) the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program is also concerned with providing habitats in a diverse number of areas.  Experiments with oyster reefs have started in the Indian River Lagoon with two 95 square foot oyster reefs being created off the North Causeway Island and Jaycee Park that will provide fish habitat and help to filter water in the Lagoon.  This Fall, the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program is working with the State of Florida Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas division to construct a 2,000 square foot oyster reef off the North Causeway Island.