Figure 2. Thousands of fish of many kinds gather at "Nature's Giant Fishbowl"-Homosassa Springs. The vertically striped fish are sheepshead, a favorite of fishermen.
The springs at Homosassa and Weekiwachee are tourist attractions of national and even international reknown, figures 3 and 4. Chassahowitzka Springs, however, remains in a nearly natural setting and is used mostly by local swimmers and fishermen. The area around Homosassa and Chassahowitzka springs is well known for its excellent hunting. The 35,000-acre Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge offers seasonal hunting of wild turkeys, ducks, doves, squirrels, hogs, and deer.
The brackish conditions (semi-salty) caused by the discharge of good quality fresh water into sea water provide an ideal habitat for oysters and other mollusks. Shell mounds left by the early Indian inhabitants of the Crystal River area attest to the ready availability of this food supply. Commercial fishing and the seafood industry flourish on the excellent salt water fishing grounds nearby, figure 5. The abundance and variety of seafood from this area is well known throughout Florida and neighboring states. Crystal River was once mainly a fishing village; but in recent years as tourism has grown, the town has become a tourist recreational center and a retirement community.
Limerock is mined at several places, mostly south of Bayport and near Crystal River, figure 6. Much of the mining is done in conjunction with land development; limbrock sold for use in road building partially pays the cost of land development.