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above, presence of oysters on mangrove roots along the shoreline could also be noted so that the County receives a better understanding of this matter. Historical shellfish populations are not well understood throughout the Lagoon, although shell middens and buried shells indicate more extensive reefs existed in the past. Shell middens are heaps of clam, oyster, whelk, or mussel shells associated with past human occupation. It would be beneficial for the County to understand where historical shellfish populations resided so that they could be evaluated as potential areas for restoration. Also, it would be beneficial to understand what types of shellfish were present versus the types present today to see how changing conditions have influenced species types. However, historical knowledge on these topics seems to be limited to local knowledge and there does not seem to be widely completed historical surveys of these populations. While we may not be successful at mapping historical filter feeder populations, it would be beneficial to conduct mapping of current populations and the conditions they live in for future understanding. Monitoring indicators of oyster reef. health and environmental variables allows the comparison of various parameters to oyster reef metrics. Another recommendation is for the County to establish spat (oyster larva) monitoring locations throughout the region to best understand areas of recruitment and survivorship for future populations of oysters. It would also benefit the County to partner with agencies and groups with clam stocks, such as FWC, in order to complete pilot projects of living shorelines with clam components. Clams have not been widely used in restoration projects for the County as of present, so it may be beneficial to diversify the types of filter feeders used. Fish are an important economic and ecological part of the Lagoon system. However, fish populations and abundance have declined from historical populations. The causes of this decline includes overfishing, habitat degradation, and the introduction of invasive species. For example, recent studies have shown invasive Iionfish species are starting to encroach into the Lagoon, even though these species prefer oceanic waters. Lionfish populations have been detrimental to native oceanic fish species, so it is expected that they will also negatively impact native estuarine fish species. Wetlands act as important habitats for the critical life stages of many important fishery species, so their vulnerability to changing conditions in the Lagoon are negatively impacting fisheries as a whole. Also, fish found within the Lagoon serve as an essential food resource for commercially and recreationally important fish and other species of Lagoon wildlife, such as migratory bird populations. Decreasing populations of important fish within the Lagoon will negatively impact the survivability and presence of numerous types of wildlife. While there does not seem to be a lot of fish population studies done in the County's portion of the Lagoon, FWC's Rich Paperno has been doing Lagoon -wide stratified random sampling collections monthly. He was able to provide data for fish hauls within the County from 1996 to 2018, which identified the number and types of fish pulled each month. Based on this information, historical fish numbers peak in November to March with 304 different species of fish identified. These trends need to be further studied in comparison to other Lagoon variables in order to better understand how one may be influencing the other. Also, the data is arranged by month, and not year, so we cannot currently understand what the annual fluctuations of fish populations may be. Throughout the Lagoon, fisheries independent monitoring is done by FWC to understand general populations and community structures of recreational and commercial fisheries. Lagoon -wide, fisheries stocks appear stable, but smaller than historical numbers according to their data. Fisheries dependent monitoring is also done at boat ramps, 97