The status of the Florida bonefish stock is not well known and fishery impacts have never been adequately evaluated. Florida's marine fisheries are undergoing extensive changes due to a number of factors. The increasing interest in bonefish angling equates to added pressure on the fishery, even though it's principally a catch-and-release species. Some guides report declining numbers of bonefish and a higher trend toward release mortality, while others feel the fishery is healthy and growing.

Bonefish stocks in most other regions appear stable, particularly the Bahamas and Caribbean. More research is needed in bonefishing meccas in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas, and as BTU's purview expands we hope to gain a greater assessment of worldwide bonefish stocks.