Summary | Pensacola Bay | Apalachicola Bay | Tampa Bay | Charlotte Harbor |
Ten Thousand Islands | Florida Bay | Biscayne Bay | St. Lucie | Indian River Lagoon

With more than 100 public boat launches, waterfront parks and bridges, the Tampa Bay region is an enormously popular area for saltwater anglers. Some of the most sought-after sportfish in the waters around Tampa Bay include spotted seatrout, redfish, snook, flounder, Spanish mackerel, cobia, tarpon, pompano, permit and sheepshead. In 2005, retail sales associated with saltwater recreational fishing in Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties totaled $393 million, supporting more than 7,000 jobs.

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The greatest threat to both upland and coastal habitats in the Tampa Bay region during the 20th century has been the rapid expansion of agricultural and urban development. Between 1950 and 1982, there was a 66-percent loss in undeveloped upland, a 35-percent loss in seagrass, a 7-percent loss in mangrove and marsh area and a 16-percent increase in open water, all corresponding with a 420-percent increase in agricultural land and a 341-percent increase in urban areas.

The loss of habitat such as seagrass beds and mangroves was linked to declines in landings of both spotted seatrout and snook during the period, which prompted considerable conservation efforts through programs such as the U.S. EPA's National Estuary Program. Recent successes in habitat restoration, pollution reduction and other strategies have helped reverse that trend. However, if the rate of sea-level rise continues to accelerate, the associated loss of critical coastal habitat could ultimately undo much of Tampa Bay's conservation efforts and could have a devastating impact on the region's fisheries.

The vast tidal flats around Tampa Bay are projected to nearly disappear by the year 2050, and the majority of saltmarsh is expected to be lost by 2100. The barrier islands around Tampa Bay are expected to be hit hard, with a resulting loss of 10-percent of the dry land at the site, reducing it by more than 14,000 ha. Some cypress swamp saturation is expected, and mangroves are projected to roughly double under the mean scenario. It is uncertain how these changes would affect coastal water quality, as mangroves play a similar role to saltmarshes in filtering pollutants. However, the significant changes in the composition of habitat types in the region would no-doubt alter the overall dynamics of the coastal system. Species at greatest risk in this area are those that rely on saltmarshes and tidal flats for food and nursery habitat, including snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, flounder, tarpon, sheepshead and permit.