Costa Sunglasses has renewed its Platinum Sponsorship of Project Permit, a nearly 10-year project that is improving permit conservation in Florida. Project Permit began in 2010 as a dart-tagging program. The initial goal was to get a handle on overall permit movements in Florida, to answer the question: Are the permit in the Florida Keys the same fish that anglers fish for in other parts of the state? Project Permit has since expanded to include acoustic telemetry to obtain more specific data on permit movements and habitat use. Data from Project Permit were instrumental in Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s creation of the Special Permit Zone and the expansion of the SPZ’s permit spawning season closure to include the month of April.
“At Costa we believe in protecting our watery world and utilizing science to help inform fisheries management needs,” said Andrew Cox, Saltwater Community Leader for Costa Sunglasses. “The work BTT is doing along with the engagement from the fishing community on catch and tag retrieval data is providing necessary information to allow the fishery to thrive.”
To date, more than 1,000 permit have been tagged with dart tags, and 150 permit have been tagged with acoustic transmitters. The acoustic tracking portion of the study, originally designed as a three-year study but extended to five years, is now in its final year of tagging. Efforts in 2019 will be focused on the Upper Keys, with the aim of determining the extent to which permit migrate north of the Keys to areas where the species is not as well protected. Project Permit will also continue to examine the permit spawning movements between the flats and offshore wrecks and reefs.
“We thank Costa for its continuing partnership and steadfast support of Project Permit,” said BTT President and CEO Jim McDuffie. “Tracking data and other information from this study will inform future conservation efforts and improvements to the management of Florida’s permit fishery.”
About Costa
As the first manufacturer of color-enhancing all-polarized sunglass lenses, Costa combines superior lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability. Still handcrafted in Florida, Costa has made the highest quality, best performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983, and now its product portfolio includes optical frames. Costa’s growing cult-brand status ties directly to its mission to provide high quality products with a focus on sustainability and conservation as the company works hard to protect the waters it calls home. From the use of sustainable materials to its Kick Plastic initiative, IndiFly Foundation and strong partnership with shark research organization OCEARCH, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.
