Keep Florida Fishing applauds Florida Budget that supports water quality and conservation

by John Stillwagon 17 Jun 2024 22:20 UTC

Keep Florida Fishing today applauded Governor Ron DeSantis for signing the Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 budget that includes funding for numerous projects and initiatives that will support fisheries habitat and water quality in Florida, and ultimately help Florida's sportfishing community thrive.

Budget highlights include:

• More than $850 million for Everglades projects
• Water quality improvement projects throughout the state, including $100 million specifically dedicated to water quality projects related to the Indian River Lagoon
• $20 million for coral reef restoration, recovery, and protection
• New Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission marine fisheries positions to improve and coordinate coral, oyster, and regional fisheries management
• More than $40 million for harmful algal bloom research and mitigation
• $5 million for artificial reef habitat in Monroe County
• $2 million to investigate the scale and scope of the ongoing fish mortality and disease event in Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and the Florida Keys

"These investments will not only contribute to the health of Florida's prized waterways and fish habitats, they will also help maintain the State of Florida as one of the country's top destinations for world-class fishing," said Martha Guyas, Southeast Fisheries Policy Director for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA). "On behalf of Florida's sportfishing industry and anglers across the state, we commend Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for reinforcing the state's commitment to water quality and conservation."

Recreational fishing has a huge economic impact in the State of Florida. More than 4.3 million anglers fish in Florida each year, contributing nearly $14 billion in economic output and supporting more than 120,000 jobs.

From July 16 - 19, Florida will once again host the world's largest sportfishing trade show, ICAST. ASA is also engaged in advocacy efforts throughout the state to expand clean water and access to fish through the Keep Florida Fishing initiative. For more information about the initiative, click here.