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They are vast expanses of 
serene, crystal-clear waters 
as far as the eye can see.

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It is an absolutely 
unique place. It's usually 
less than six feet of 
water that is a matrix

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of sand, seagrass, little 
corals and sponges that offers 
good foraging grounds for many

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different species.

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The fish are just going about 
their business. You just see 
them in their own element eating

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and cruising and it's 
really neat to see.

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These are the Flats - a 
place where recreational 
anglers pursue the 
legendary bonefish, tarpon

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and permit.

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There's no other place 
I'd rather be fly fishing 
than on the flats.

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Flats fishing is just a very 
romanticized, dramatic thing.

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It's just the allure, 
poling around these flats 
and trying to find a fish.

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Oh, come on. What is 
that? Is that fish?

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Flats fishing is not like you 
drop a piece of shrimp to the 
bottom and wait for the fish

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to eat it. Flats 
fishing is a hunt.

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It's very much a stalking 
game, it's like hunting except 
you get to release the fish

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when you catch it.

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You actually have to see the 
fish before you throw the fly.

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You're trying to trick a 
fish into eating a completely 
artificial fly that you've often

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tied yourself out of materials.

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It's pretty challenging 
especially when weather 
conditions aren't in your favor.

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You're not thinking 
about anything else when 
you're out on the flats.

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Research commissioned by the 
Bonefish and Tarpon Trust 
has shown these recreational

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fisheries are worth big money.

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There's a study, in 2009, in 
the middle of the recession, 
found that the annual economic

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impact of the bonefish catch and 
release fishery in the Bahamas 
was 141 million dollars. We

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are in the process of redoing 
that study now and preliminary 
estimates are that it's more

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than 200 million dollars. 
In the Florida Keys, 
the flats fishery, which 
is bonefish, tarpon

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and permit, the annual 
economic impact is over 
460 million dollars.

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But in some areas, these 
fish are on the decline.

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In order for us to pass this 
down, we have to secure what 
we have now. And in order to

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do that, you've got to 
work with the researchers.

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What does scientific 
research reveal about 
bonefish, tarpon and permit?

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Can it help to ensure their 
survival into the future?