In a cooperative effort the Florida Sport Fishing Association (FSFA), the Central Florida Offshore Anglers (CFOA) and the Sebastian Inlet Sportfishing Association have formed a partnership to fund pop-off satellite archival tags to study the movement patterns of dolphin fish off the coast of East Central Florida. In conjunction with the Cooperative Science Services, LLC Dolphin Tagging Research Project $7500 will be donated to purchase and deploy tags to place on several fish to be captured off of Port Canaveral. No other program is gaining as much information on this very important recreational game fish as the CSS Dolphin Tagging Study. The tag is scheduled to be deployed on Saturday May 16, pending weather, by members staffing several boats provided by the three clubs. There will be provisions for media participation as crew of each of the participating boats. The plan is for each boat to fish in a general vicinity and to transport the tagging specialist to the fish, once the acceptable specimen is captured.
In a joint statement provided by Bill Kosiba, President of the FSFA, Walt Eismann, President of the CFOA and Greg Clifford, President of SISA- "We are excited that we have been able to form a partnership to provide support to this valuable research program. It shows that through cooperation we will be able to provide insight into one of our most valuable and least understood recreational fisheries on a local level".
The dolphin tagging program began as a research project by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and continues today under as the CSS, a private fisheries research consulting company founded by Don Hammond and is supported through donations from conservation minded individuals and organizations such as the CFOA and the FSFA. More information on the CSS Tagging Study may be obtained from their website at http://www.dolphintagging.homestead.com/.
The Central Florida Offshore Anglers (CFOA) is a club for people who fish inshore as well as offshore. Everyone who has a passion for fishing and wishes to associate with others who share that passion is welcome to join. We currently have over 200 members and we encourage family and junior participation. The club meets the 2nd Monday of each month at 7 pm at the Dubsdread Golf Course in Orlando at 549 W. Par St. Further information is available at our website at: http://www.centralfloridaoffshoreanglers.com.
The Florida Sport Fishing Association (FSFA) is a family oriented, non-profit organization formed of individuals and families sharing a common love of sport fishing, the associated outdoor resources, the local area communities where we live and the idea that through education of both children and adults, the sport itself and the resources upon which it depends can be preserved and advanced. The Club meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month at Veteran's Memorial Center, 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway in Merritt Island. Additional info can be found at http://www.fsfaclub.org/Florida%20Sport%20Fishing%20Association1_files/NewFrontPage.htm.
The Sebastian Inlet Sport Fishing Association's (SISA) is a family/member oriented organization and club meetings are open to the public and everyone is invited to attend. Their meetings are held on the last Thursday of the month at the Lagoon House, 7:30 PM, just south of Southeastern Honda on US1 in Palm Bay. 3275 Dixie HWY., NE Palm Bay. Further information is available at their website: http://sites.google.com/site/fishsisa/Home
All of these organizations hold annual offshore fishing tournaments and auctions and support a variety of Fishing Conservation and community programs including the Edgewood Children's Ranch Fishing Day, Reef building projects, "Bridges" (formally ARC of Brevard) fishing program, Teen Fishing, Paralyzed Veterans Fishing, Kid's Fishing Clinics and high school marine sciences programs.
