If you are a South Florida bonefisherman, you know that on some days they can come of the woodwork, and some days they are nowhere to be found. Rest assured there are plenty around, about 329,000 of them in fact, between Miami and the Marquesas Keys. That shakes out to about 209 bones per mile.

That’s the estimated number arrived at after the third annual bonefish census taken by volunteers during the one-day count in late September. Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited and the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School orchestrates the census taking, which covers 1,575 square miles of shallow water split up into 19 zones. The numbers of fish are up slightly this year, but it is acknowledged that can be attributed to increased volunteer participation.

Good news is that the population is stable, and it would take a significant drop in numbers to indicate detrimental ecological change. Being fairly large predators, bonefish rely on smaller prey species whose populations are difficult to assess. Some suggest that bonefish are like canaries in the

coal mine, and indicate the overall ecosystem’s general health.

FS