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Presentations and Discussions Technology Briefings May 1999 Forum


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Last updated: June 11, 2003
South Florida Restoration Science Forum

Our Coastal Ecosystems

Fish Health in the St. Lucie Estuarine System

Poster presented May 1999, at the South Florida Restoration Science Forum

Poster presented by: Patti Sime, SFWMD

photo of fish with health problems photo of fish with health problems photo of fish with health problems
photo of fish with health problems photo of fish with health problems photo of fish with health problems
(Click on any image above to view full-sized version.)

Photos by Michael Kandrashoff

For decades, fish with lesions, ulcers, hemorrhages, fin erosion, skeletal or fin deformities, scale disorientation, or other problems have been observed in the St. Lucie Estuarine System. A growing literature supports the concept that the percent of fish exhibiting externally visible abnormalities such as these is indicative of water quality and the ecological health of the water in which they live.

Two studies are characterizing the problem, quantifying its extent, and trying to determine the causes.

[ Florida Marine Research Institute Study ] - [NOAA Fisheries Study ]

Florida Marine Research Institute Study


FMRI Three-Month Study Results
(Click on maps for full-sized version.)
Percentage of Diseased Fish Collected in the St. Lucie River area from April 19-25, 1998

map showing percentage of diseased fish collected in the St. Lucie River area from April 19-25, 1998

Percentage of Diseased Fish Collected in the St. Lucie River area from May 11 to 13, 1998

map showing percentage of diseased fish collected in the St. Lucie River area from May 11-13, 1998

Fish abnormalities were found in a higher percentage of the fish in the St. Lucie Estuary and the North Fork than in the Indian River.

graph showing percent abnormal sheepshead by area
graph showing percent abnormal striped mullet by area
graph showing percent abnormal white mullet by area

Numbers above bars indicate total number caught, including normal fish. The percent refers to the percent of the total that had lesions.

graph showing cumulative flow rates to the St. Lucie system from Lake Okeechobee and local watersheds

Flow data from D. Haunert, SFWMD
Cumulative flow rates to the St. Lucie system from Lake Okeechobee (S80_T) and local watersheds (from D. Haunert, SFWMD, pers. comm.) during the 2-yr period of the NOAA Fisheries study.The uppermost line includes all flows.

NOAA Fisheries Study

    Investigator: Dr. Joan Browder
    Samplers: Michael and Walter Kandrashoff
    Start date: November, 1996
    Sampling period: Throughout the year, multiple years
    Gear: Hook and line
    Design: Fixed sites
    Locations: Mainly St. Lucie Inlet and nearshore reef, also St. Lucie River
    Total caught: Yr-1: 7,544, Yr-2: 4,501
    Total species: Yr-1: 51, Yr-2: 49
    Percent with lesions, ulcers, hemor., or fin erosion: Yr-1: 6.7%, Yr-2: 8.9%
    Species with lesions, ulcers, hemor., or fin erosion: Yr-1: 28, Yr-2: 29

NOAA Fishery Study Two-Year Results
map showing locations of NOAA's St. Lucie Sampling Stations
NOAA's 1997-1998 sampling was mainly in the inlet and the nearby reef, but the percent of fish with lesions there was roughly as high as FMRI found in the St. Lucie Estuary.

Percent of each species with any type of abnormality.

graph showing percent of each species with any type of abnormality

Percent of each species with lesion, ulcer, hemorrhage, or fin erosion

graph showing percent of each species with lesion, ulcer, hemorrhage, or fin erosion

The percent of individuals with abnormalities differed greatly by species. At least 30 each of 15 species were caught both sampling years and provide good estimates of the percent with abnormalities.


The percent of fish of each species with lesions, ulcers, hemorrhages, and fin erosion was almost as high in Year-1 of the NOAA Study as in Year-2, even though freshwater inflow was much lower during Year 1 (Nov, 1996-Aug, 1997) than in Year 2 (Nov, 1997-Aug, 1998).

The percent of fish with externally visible abnormalities will be used in Restoration Efforts as a performance measure to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of actions to improve water qualityand ecosystem health in the St. Lucie system.

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Last updated: 11 June, 2003 @ 10:47 AM (KP)