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Special taxing districts
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Thank you for your generous donation Page 4 Page 5 Volunteer bulletin board Page 6 Lakewatch needs you Page 7 Florida Lakewatch long-term fish monitoring program Page 8 Page 9 Outstanding Lakewatch volunteer Page 10 Featured fish: redbreast sunfish Page 11 Page 12 |
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Ilorida LAKEWATCHA IATC Special Taxing Districts: A Possible Solution For Helping Lakefront Property Owners Fund Lake Management Expenses We see it all the time. Some aspect of lake management is needed, but it never happens in a timely manner because there is no plan in place and no funds available to implement the plan. Before you know it, a minor problem becomes a major problem with associated major costs to fix it. For example, invasive aquatic plants may be introduced into a lake and they should be managed before they get out of control. If the plants are not controlled, they can limit use of the lake and negatively affect property values if someone decides to sell their waterfront property. Aquatic plant management can be costly and it is often difficult to quickly collect enough money from lakefront property owners to deal with the plants before they become a big problem. Before you know it what might have cost hundreds of dollars to fix now costs thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars! A possible solution for funding such lake management expenses may be the establishment of a special taxing district. The reason for establishing this type of special taxing district is to collect the necessary funds required for maintaining, improving, managing, and administering common properties in and around a lake or group of lakes. Usually, these are lakes where the land surrounding them is privately owned and with no public access. Because these lakes are often considered to be "private lakes," there are generally no public funds available for managing them. Establishing a special taxing district to insure that money is available for lake management activities has proven to be successful strategy for some lakes in Florida. A special taxing district's Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the priorities for the special taxing district's activities. When considering a special taxing district as a solution, there are some factors to consider. First, is whether or not your local city or county government has the power to establish such a taxing district? This can be determined by reading Continued on page 2. UF UNIVERSITY of UF LORIDA IFAS the city or county charter or state law. Second, is whether or not your city or county wants to establish a special taxing district. Besides obvious political reasons, there are staffing and financial implications for local government, especially when other critically needed services may be reduced or eliminated. Although the special taxing district bears most of the burden for operating the district, local government does share some of the costs. This could mean creating a new skilled position or shifting responsibilities at some point. For example, Hillsborough County has managed to have one- half of a full-time position dedicated to its 46 special taxing districts for the past 20 years because the ordinances are standardized, the districts are limited in scope, and the trustees do all the day-to-day work. Under the state-mandated fiscal constraints, counties and cities would most likely give a special taxing district administration a lower funding priority. Another factor to consider is the will of the group to administer their special taxing district. This is something that requires a long-term commitment and a capacity to administer because a district is designed to provide for ongoing maintenance, not just the most immediate crisis. It also requires trustees who are willing to attend monthly meetings. Trustees must be skilled in taking minutes, running meetings in a business-like fashion, dealing with budgets, and accounting for funds and expenditures. In an era where time is precious and people have multiple commitments to family and work, for many, community service is not a high priority. Following are several points about the formation, structure, and operation of a special taxing district as defined by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioner's neighborhood district program. There are 46 of these districts in unincorporated Hillsborough County. Steps to Establishing A District: To informally start the process of creating a special taxing district, county staff meets with a neighborhood leadership group to explain what a special taxing district is and how it operates. If the group then decides to proceed further, it will work with county staff to define the boundaries of the proposed taxing district, the methodology for charging the assessment, and the maximum assessment rate. The formal part of the process begins with a public meeting for the community in which the group supporting the establishment of the district and a county representative explain the reason for the district and how a district operates. The group can then start circulating a county- prepared petition. To proceed to the next step, some board policies require that a minimum of 51% of the property owners in the proposed district must sign a county-approved petition form. This petition must state the maximum amount of the proposed assessment. After a title abstractor or attorney verifies that the names on the petition truly represent a minimum of 51% of the property owners, the Board of County Commissioners can direct their staff to develop an ordinance. The Board will also schedule a public hearing where the public may comment on the proposed ordinance. Then the Board votes at this hearing. The county pays for advertising the public hearing but the community pays for the petition verification. The county uses a standard ordinance for establishing the special taxing district. Governing the District: A seven-member board of trustees governs the special taxing district. Trustees are voters who are registered in the district. The Board of County Commissioners appoints the first set of trustees, called "interim trustees", from a list of nominees submitted by the group supporting the establishment of the district. Subsequent trustees are either elected through a process run by the Supervisor of Elections Office or, if there are not enough candidates to fill vacant positions, the Board of Trustees may appoint replacements. The term of a trustee is four years. Annually, trustees are required to file financial disclosure forms with the state showing their major sources of income but are not asked to disclose amounts. There are five officers, elected by the Board of Trustees, who serve for two years. The Board of Trustees supervises and administers all real and personal property owned or leased to or from the special taxing district. It negotiates the purchase of real and personal property on behalf of the district and also determines and fixes the amount to be collected as an annual special assessment within the district. The Board of Trustees prepares the tax roll for transmittal to the tax collector so the assessments may be put on the annual tax bill. The Board of Trustees can enter into contracts and can incur obligations on behalf of the district. It may borrow funds secured by assessment revenues and may employ and pay necessary costs associated with security officers. The Board of Trustees does not have police powers and cannot enforce or assist in the enforcement of deed restrictions. As well as complying with its establishing ordinance, the Board of Trustees must comply with Florida's Government in the Sunshine Laws, open record laws, and all other state laws pertaining to units of local government. Budgets and Financial Activities: Each special taxing district controls its own budget and governs its own financial affairs as long as it conforms to state laws, county ordinances, and generally accepted principals of governmental budgeting and accounting. The Management and Budget Department provides technical assistance to insure that each district prepares its budget properly. The Board of County Commissioners approves each district's budget after staff reviews it for consistency with various standards. Each special taxing district has its own bank account from which disbursements are made and to which district monies are deposited. The Tax Collector's Office deposits assessment revenues into the district's account electronically after deducting 4% in fees for itself and the Property Appraiser and applying the appropriate discounts for early payments. None of the special taxing district funds flow through the Hillsborough County budget or financial system. Each district is required to submit an audited financial statement to the County annually. Taxpayers are protected with public official bonds for those trustees with check signing authority. Imposing the Assessment: Each special taxing district has the ability to levy a non-ad valorem or special assessment on properties located within the district's boundaries. This assessment is a government imposed fee and is not based on the value of the property. The ordinance establishing a district defines the categories of properties on which the assessment will be levied and defines the maximum amount of the assessment. The annual tax bill is the preferred collection method because this method assures a 100% collection rate. This method also utilizes the services of the Tax Collector's Office to enforce the assessment. Chapter 197.3632 of the Florida Statutes defines the process the special taxing district must follow in order to put the special assessment on the tax bill. The district's Board of Trustees is responsible for the process of putting the assessment on the annual tax bill and the district bears the cost of this process. This process requires two public hearings. One hearing takes place before January 1st of the year during which the assessment will be levied for the first time and the second hearing takes place in the subsequent summer. The first hearing requires four weekly advertisements and the second one requires the district to send first class notices to property owners and also advertise a public hearing. Protecting the Taxpayer: Two significant protections to taxpayers are the annual audited financial statement and the public official bond. The annual audited financial statement insures a review of all financial transactions and an accurate representation of the special taxing district's financial position. The public official bond protects the district for up to $5,000 against the financial implications of the actions of the three parties with check signing powers: the president, vice-president, and the treasurer. The annual tax bill is the preferred collection method because this method assures a 100% collection rate. This method also utilizes the services of the Tax Collector's Office to enforce the assessment. Thank You For Your We thank the following people for donating to Florida LAKEWATCH, the LAKEWATCH building fund and Fishing For Success. $1000 or more Anonymous Aquarius Systems (D&D Products Inc.) Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Bear Lake Preservation Association, Inc Corner Drugstore of Gainesville, Inc Allstate Resource Management, Inc Central Florida Extension and Research Advisory Committee Advanced Auto Repair & A/C, Inc Alfred C. Warrington, V All Steel Structures of North Florida Applied Technology & Management, Inc BCI Engineers and Scientists Brentwood School Brian and Danielle Sevier Campus USA Credit Union Carter & Drylie, P.A Castellani Insurance Group, Inc. Charles A. Dalba Chester and Foy Winsor Christopher and Eleanor Conner D. B. Petty, DVM David and Judy Williams David Hermelbracht David O' Brien/ Surv Tech Solutions Don Davis/ Teresa Vickers (Capital City Bank) Elyse Gile Faith Presbyterian Church Edward O. Bernard Eric and Kelly Schulz Free Family Foundation Corp John Gardner Aquatic Systems, Inc Johns' Lake Improvement Assoc. $500-$999 Irvin B. Green and Associates, Inc Little Lake Harris Shores Civic Association $100-$499 Gainesville Harley-Davidson and Buell, Inc George and Leslie Jennings, Jr. Harry Oldford James and Nancy Dunn James and Rebecca Cato Jeff Boston, President State Plastering Co. Inc Jim and Barbara Powell Joel E and Polly Smith John and Phyllis Nelson John R. O'Malley John Taylor Joseph and Betty Miller Joseph and Betty Miller Joseph and Marilyn Heyck Judith A. Ludlow Lake Broward Assoc., Inc Lake Gertrude Property Owners' Assoc., Inc Lake Gertrude Property Owners' Assoc., Inc Law office of Laurie D. Mitchell, P.A Lake Mystic Neighborhood Association Okaloosa-Walton College Rosegger Aquatic Services, LLC SePRO Tallavana Homeowners'Assoc. Too Far Inc Louis and Cynthia Mantini Lynn and Samuel J. Dowe,r III Mark and Dorothy Armstrong Marshall Bloom Melissa and Stuart Fox Miller & Brasington, P.L. Oak Hall School Oliverne M. Mattson Pierce and Laura Jones Richard and Justine Fry Richard Gray Robert and Teresa Fagerburg Robert and Terry Ern Robin and Michael Creamer Roger & Marilyn Bachmann Wanda C. Garfield Water and Air Research, Inc. William and Cheryl Stephens William and Lisa Anne Seaman, Jr Generous Donation! Your gift will help secure the legacy by giving LAKEWATCH and its youth education program Fishing For Success a permanent building of its own! Less than $100 A. W. and Dorothy Morley Alan Bachvott Albert Dan Duerr Amanda Cole Amy and Joe Richard Anna Maria Melton Audrey S. Reed Barney and Marsha Sapp Betty and Merton Bayle Charles and Glenys Radloff Charles and Mary Cichra Charles and Susan Irelan Clell and Toni Ford Cynthia Bloomcamp and Thomas Nutter Dana Bigham Darin and Chrishna Johnson David and Amy Watson David and Patricia Sage David M. Drenan, D. V. M. Dean and Barbara Martin Dennis Talbott Douglas and Faith Hoogs Douglas and Merrillee Jipson Eleanor Cummings Foerste Elroy and Michelle Garcia Forest Lakes of Cocoa Condominium Association, Inc. Frederick Carl Matthaei, III Gary S. Simpson George A. Sarosi and Mary A. Benedict George and Mary Bruss George Braun Gerald and Ulla Benny Hal G. Labatt Heidi J. Egan Hussein K. Mourtada Jack Horan James and Leona Thompson James and Margaret Decker Jay D. and Claudia Marshall Jeanne and Delma Dinkins Jeffrey E Hill Jennifer and Robert Lester Jennifer Shelamer Jerome Miller Jerry and Therese Denman John and Ruth Buntemeyer John Giambrese Joseph and Margaret Branham Joseph G. Wood Julia Terrell Karen and Nick Burdash Karl and Barbara Furman Karl and Irene Starzinger Kathleen Carlton Ruppert L. Melissa Earnest Laura Wharton Law Offices of Henry Cawthon Louise Poundstone Marie Willis Merle and Jean Hibbard Michael Gamble Michael R. and Maryann Neill N. E Mills Nadine D. Foley Nancy Reancy Norma Adamczyk Patricia Hall Patricia Tierney Plants By Margo Pratap Pullammanappallil Ralph L. Swank, II Randy Gulledge Richard and Ann Dominica Richard and Jo Ann Gwinn Richard and Margaret Thayer Rita and Daniel Ughy Robert and Michelle Frierson Robert Baker Robert Mattheu Crossman Roddi Hoefert & Marita Guilderson Ronald White Roy Yanong Sally B. Peck Sandy Fisher Sarah Critcher Sherolyn Spencer Sidney and Cynthia Grow Steven and Rebecca George Terence and Betty Owen Thomas and Kristy Harwood Thomas Luche Thomas Potts Todd and Christine Toriscelli William and Lois Rosenthal This list contains donors through January 28"', 2008. The LAKEWATCH building fund continues to accept donations. Your help today will serve generations to come. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, make your check payable to: University of Florida Foundation, Inc. -SHARE Memo or For: Florida LAKEWATCH Building lail to : Florida LAKEWATCH Attn: Christy Horsburgh 7922 NW 71" Street Gainesville, FL 32611-0170 No longer able to sample? If you are unable to collect samples on your lake and would like to resign, please give us a call and let us know. We appreciate all of the hard work that you have done and understand that time does not always allow us to get everything done that we would like. We also ask that you return the sampling equipment to your water collection center or mail to our office as soon as possible. Be sure to label the equipment kit with your name, lake name and county so we can credit you with its return. The equipment used to sample your lake is essential for our program and costs about $400 dollars per kit. It is important that we re-use this equipment to keep our expenses down. If you have already returned your equipment, thank you very much, but give us a call and let us know so we can update our records. Water levels low? If you are unable to sample due to low water levels and have not contacted us to let us know please consider giving us a call. We have a toll free number (1-800-525-3928) and it will just take one minute of your time. This will update our records and help us separate which volunteers can no longer sample due to low water from those who can no longer sample due to other reasons such as health, time, or etc. Regional Meeting Schedule for 2008 Here is a list of the 2008 Regional Meetings planned so far. In case of unforeseen circumstances the dates are subject to change. Look for more details in your invitation a few weeks in advance. Polk County Leon County Osceola County Lake County Okaloosa/Walton County Orange County Seminole County Pasco County Bay County Putnam County March 13 March 26 April 24 May 3 May 17 June 26 July 10 July 16 July 26 August 22 Marion County Volusia County Hillsborough County Alachua County Highlands County Clay County Brevard/Miami-Dade County Duval County Citrus County Flagler County August 29 September 10 October 6 October 20 November 2 November 6 December 6 December 12 TBA TBA Citrus County There is a change in the collection centerfor Inverness: The collection center at TOOFAR has been moved to the East Citrus Community Center. The new contact information is: East Citrus Community Center 9907 East Gulf to Lake Hwy. Inverness, FL 34450 Contact: Mary or Sal 352-344-9666 Hours: M-F 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. NOTICE TO ALL FLORIDA LAKEWATCH SAMPLERS Keep those samples flowing! Please be sure to deliver any 2007 frozen water and chlorophyll samples to your collection center as soon as possible. This will enable us to prepare the annual data reports on schedule. We also take this opportunity to thank you for your hard work and dedication! Sincerely, The Florida LAKEWATCH Crew LAKEWATCH NEEDS YOU! Lake County Orange County Orange County Akron Lucy Arlene Middle Bear Arthur Mill Stream Swamp Black Mirror Cook Nellie CR Big Nettie CR Small Norris Crescent 2 North Twin David Owen Desire Pearl Dixie East Pine Island Dixie West Placida Dolls Saunders Eagle Shady Nook Eldorado Silver Evert Silver Paisley Glona South Twin Grassy Spencer Haines Sunset Heron Sunshine Idlewild Swatara Jack's Tavares Lady Umatilla Linda Unity Little Mary Woodward Little Nellie Zephyr Loch Leven Adair Lawne Angelina Lawsona Apopka Little Down 11 iLittle Pheasant Baln Wtt /auseon Bay '" '4Sorna Doone Big Love Big S d Bay rne East L *esst NoL i e South aep uh MM CFyst J Cypress Daniel Davis Dot Dream Druid Estelle Olive Olivia Orlando Park Pearl Price Rabama Estelle East Eulalia Eve Fairview Fischer Floy Gear Gem George Greenwood Hart Hiawassee Highland Hope Horseshoe Hourglass Hubbert Huckleberry Irma Isleworth Jackson Jessamine Killarney La Grange Lancaster Richmond Rock Rose Rose Hill Rouse San Susan Santiago Sawyer Silver Smith Spring Sue Sybelia Tennessee Terrace Theresa Underhill Wade Walker Waunatta West Whippoorwill William Davis Willisaria Winyah Wise Florida LAKEWATCH Long-term Fish Monitoring Program Since the beginning of Florida LAKEWATCH in 1986 over 1000 lakes from more then 50 counties have been sampled as part of this successful program. Currently over 800 citizen volunteers sample approximately 600 lakes from Pensacola to Key West. This large effort focuses mainly on water chemistry sampling; however, LAKEWATCH is interested in understanding and monitoring all aspects of the lake ecosystem. One major interest of the public, LAKEWATCH volunteers, and biologists alike is the condition of fish populations in lakes around Florida. Since 1999, Florida LAKEWATCH has monitored fish populations in many lakes around the state. To help get more information on fish communities and long-term trends in fish populations, Florida LAKEWATCH began a cooperative study with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), collecting fish data on 32 water bodies throughout Florida. In 2006 this cooperative sampling effort was expanded to cover 52 lakes statewide. These lakes were selected to include a wide range of lake trophic states and aquatic plant abundances, as these are two major factors influencing fish populations in lakes. The goals of this project il@ ~l Florida LAKEWATCH personnel Daniel Willis places tank from Lake Ivanhoe in Orlando. are threefold: 1) to identify and examine long-term changes in fish communities from a range of lakes in relation to water chemistry, lake trophic status, aquatic plant abundances, and lake morphology (the shape and structure of a lake basin), 2) educate the public in the trends and dynamics of fish populations in Florida, and 3) facilitate the interaction and cooperation among Florida citizens, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (Florida LAKEWATCH), and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. I- U. "U stunned fish into a holding Water chemistry samples are collected monthly or quarterly on the lakes in this long-term monitoring project by volunteers, LAKEWATCH, and FFWCC personnel. These samples are analyzed at the LAKEWATCH Water Laboratory at the University of Florida. Plant surveys are conducted by LAKEWATCH personnel and are done on all 52 lakes every other year (26 lakes per year) during the summer months (May - August). These surveys consist of 5 to 30 sample sites depending on lake size, spaced evenly around LAKEWATCH personnel Jason Bennett conducting a plant survey on a lake in Orange County. the lake. Plant species composition, percent area coverage, and biomass (weight) measurements are taken from each site. A Lowrance high definition sonar system is used to map the bottom and measure amounts of submerged vegetation throughout the open water portions of the lake. Fish community sampling is done on all 52 lakes each year. LAKEWATCH personnel sample twenty-two of these lakes with the rest sampled by FFWCC. Fish communities are sampled using electrofishing. This method uses a specially equipped boat, which delivers a strong electrical current into the water. This stuns the fish causing them to rise to the surface where they are collected and held in a tank on board the boat. All fish are identified, measured, and returned to the lake. The effects of the electrical current only last a few minutes and nearly 100% of the fish swim away with little or no problems. Data collected are analyzed to identify changes in fish populations/communities over the years sampled. The 2006-2007 LAKEWATCH long term fish report is on the Florida LAKEWATCH website at http://lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/ ('CunI\ i_ .,i. , I i ll 1. I ii !. i i . i Ii [ i !. i i'i. _!,, I I. i L.iIkc L,I 'I,I i ,. hi!. .... .i I i ._'11.' I I|.iicv ,.i! ll.i i . ,'',\ i.lul,.'l ,_ i ) .i' i.' ]',, I II L.ikc SLIci. I ) i,11 Sill 11ii .I Ii . X\ ik' il 'A cI I Counts I I~k', '1.I t I I '. -P ":I I .I h., L.lke A list of lakes in the LAKEWATCH-FWC long-term fish project. ('CounIt i .1ic I ., i .,I, I A.i i .1ic i .!,c c' !,, ,, I Ih,,in -I ).i,. I I iii I .1'. I'. .11 I i. 'I Ii NI.iI Lc P .1 'l I. I Il l!! i )..i i .1! .I I lull'. 'I. 'ii *Ii ii 'Ii I .,L.c _[I,.',I "' I 11.111 I I iii C I IiIi,2c I 1IiIi*c I IiIi,2c i '.ih i : '.,* i i 'Ii.iII .i1 i 'uil !,. i! i tll '! ',\ .d l ,! .. ',\ .dil,. . I !.'!!!.!![ I.'' l, ,h ,! i.'! ,..i!i,h,_., i .. I .I,! .. I )i.' '!u 1I I.', I,_ 1. c '1 I', . I '. i[i.' .h ~i! !!',.' I Il"! H1- -!"' !'!,,' Outstanding LAKEWATCH Volunteer Samuel J. Dower, II grew up Minnesota and attended the University of Minnesota befc joining the Army Air corps d World War II. In 1944 Sam married Jean Laugen and togi they began a family of three daughters and a son. The fan moved to Miami, Florida in 1 where Sam worked in constrn for 30 years. After retiring, tl family purchased a home on ] Lizzie in Osceola County in 1 Lake Lizzie is located in St. ( on the Alligator chain of lake Osceola County. The lake is 923-acre mesotrophic lake. Mesoptrophic lakes have moderate amounts of biological productivity. Lake Lizzie is in the Osceola Slope region. This region is composed of lagoonal deposits with a top layer of medium to fine sands and silts. Lakes in the region are generally acidic, low nutrient, colored lakes. According to Sam's family, he fell in love with Lake Lizzie and the Alligator Chain of Lakes. His passion led him to action, volunteering his time and energy to help protect the waterways of Osceola County. Sam joined the Alligator Chain of Lakes Homeowners Association which is now the Alligator Lakes Chain Heritage Association (ALCHA). In 1990, Sam was instrumental in getting the ALCHA actively involved in the Florida LAKEWATCH Program by serving as a volunteer sampler on Lake Lizzie over the next several years. After passing the sampling responsibilities to new volunteers, Sam participated in a pilot bacterial sampling project conducted by the University of Florida/LAKEWATCH . ..... .... am Dower speaking at one of his many environmental events. 10 program on the chain of lakes during the mid 1990's. Sam's passion for conservation extended well beyond lake sampling. He routinely attended county commission meetings where rules and regulations were being set regarding developments near wetlands and lakes. He voiced community opposition to rules that favored increased development in these areas. Sam also wrote many letters to the Orlando Sentinel as a way to get other residents involved in this decision-making processes. He strongly believed in public input to help manage and protect Osceola County's environmental resources. SSam passed away in 2007 at the age of 86 and his wife Jean passed away this February. They will be greatly missed by their family and all who knew them. We are proud to acknowledge Sam' s dedication to conservation "" and his considerable 22. efforts on behalf of -? Florida LAKEWATCH, Lake Lizzie and ALCHA. Faue Fish: R ba Sun f ki miE A I i 4 I ull F-1 I IuUitu The redbreast sunfish is found throughout central and north Florida and is the dominant sunfish in some streams and rivers including the Ocklawaha, Ochlockonee, Suwannee, and Santa Fe Rivers. It has been introduced into the Blackwater and Yellow Rivers in the panhandle and can be found in some lakes including the Harris Chain, Starke, and Ivanhoe in central Florida. The native range of the redbreast sunfish is from the Atlantic and Gulf slopes from New Brunswick Canada to central Florida and west to the Apalachicola and Choctawhatchee river drainages. The species has also been widely introduced in the western and central United States. Redbreast sunfish can grow to 11 inches in length and attain a weight of up to two pounds. As the name suggests, redbreasts are some of the most colorful fish in the sunfish family. Males are dark olive to dusky on the upper sides and yellow, orange or red on the belly. The females are less colorful with their bellies yellow to pale red. In both sexes the opercular flap or "ear" is very long, no wider than the eye, black without a light border, and can reach a length of one inch or more. Redbreast sunfish typically inhabit sand-bottomed areas of coastal plain streams and rivers and are occasionally found in lakes. They frequently are found near boulders, limestone outcroppings, woody debris, submersed aquatic vegetation, or the root systems of shoreline trees and shrubs. Redbreast sunfish have one of the most diverse diets of any of the sunfishes. They will feed on bottom dwelling organisms including insect larvae, snails, clams, shrimp, and crayfish. Small fish and even terrestrial insects that fall into the water are also prey items. Redbreast sunfish spawn from May through August when water temperatures range from 680 to 820 Fahrenheit. The males construct circular depressions or "beds" in the sand in waters from one to three feet deep and usually adjacent to woody debris such as snags or stumps. They frequently occupy "beds" abandoned by other sunfishes. The males guard the eggs after spawning and protect the larvae for a short period after hatching. Females can lay 1,000 to 10,000 eggs during a season depending on their age, size and health. In a study of 60 Florida lakes sampled between June 1986 and June 1990, redbreast sunfish were found in only 8% of the lakes. This is not surprising because redbreasts are typically stream and river fish. In lakes where they were collected, the surface areas ranged from 24 to 5580 acres while the average depths ranged from 6 to 15 feet. The percentage of the lake covered in submersed aquatic plants ranged from 1% to 27%. The water in these lakes ranged from slightly clear (Secchi disc visibility = 5.2 ft, chlorophyll = 18 pg/L) to very low visibility (Secchi disc visibility = 1.3 ft, chlorophyll =173 pg/L). Despite their small size, red breast are a prized game fish and are caught on both (Continued on page 12) A redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) showing brightly colored breast and long opercular flap. U FW UNIVERSITY of UF FLORIDA IFAS Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Florida LAKEWATCH 7922 NW 71st Street Gainesville, FL 32653 FCornid a LAKEWATCH This newsletter is generated by the Florida LAKEWATCH program, within UF/IFAS' Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Support for the LAKEWATCH program is provided by the Florida Legislature, grants and donations For more information about LAKEWATCH, to inquire about volunteer training sessions, or to submit materials for inclusion in this publication, write to Flonda LAKEWATCH 7922NW71stSreet GanevilleFL 32653 orcall 1-800-LAKEWATCH(800-525-3928) (352)392-4817 E-mail fl-lakewatch@ufl edu http //lakewatch ifas ufl edu/ All unsolicited articles, photographs, artwork or other written material must include contributor's name, address and phone number Opinions expressed are solely those of the individual contributor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of the Florida LAKEWATCH program 12 Featured Fish: Redbreast Sunfish (Continued from page 11) A redbreast sunfish swimming in the v natural bait and artificial lures. Unlike most sunfish, redbreast will bite well at night on flies, small spinners, worms, crickets, grasshoppers and small minnows. The flesh is a rater. sweet, flakey white meat that is commonly fried after dipping in seasoned cornmeal or pancake batter and is excellent eating. |