 Hadley Binder with her first ever bonefish.
Submit your photos by emailing them to Saltwater@MyFWC.com. Learn more about our photo guidelines.
Commission Meeting – St. Augustine
Marine Fisheries items to be discussed Dec. 12-13
Information: The FWC Commission will listen to public testimony on and discuss several marine fisheries management items at the Dec. 12-13 meeting in St. Augustine. Commission meetings are open to the public.
Draft regulation changes (these items will be discussed at the meeting and, if approved, will be brought back to a future meeting for final decision):
-
Shore-based shark fishing: Potential draft changes to increase survival of released sharks, improve information gathering about the fishery and address some of the public safety concerns related to the fishery. Proposed changes include:
- Creating a mandatory, no-cost, annual shore-based shark fishing permit
- Prohibiting chumming when fishing from beaches
- Prohibiting delaying the release of prohibited shark species
- Requiring prohibited species remain in the water (shore and vessel) as much as practical without putting the angler in danger
- Requiring the use of non-offset, non-stainless-steel circle hooks with live or dead natural bait (when fishing from shore and from a vessel)
- Requiring the possession/use of a device capable of quickly cutting the leader or hook (shore and vessel)
- Clean up and update of current rule language
-
Marine Life harvest at Blue Heron Bridge dive site: Potential draft changes to conserve this unique and valuable snorkeling and diving area by prohibiting all collection of tropical aquarium species (Marine Life fishery) at the Blue Heron Bridge dive site in Palm Beach County.
-
Gulf red snapper (in the Gulf Council update presentation): Potential draft changes to set the 2019 Gulf red snapper season to open June 11-July 12 and have a fall reopening if quota is available.
Discussions:
-
Saltwater Recreational Data Collection: Update on efforts to improve collection of saltwater recreational data including results from the Gulf Reef Fish Survey and options for future enhancements.
-
Goliath grouper: Review and discussion on the next steps for goliath grouper research and management. Staff will ask for direction on adopting a management goal for goliath grouper in state waters.
-
Marine Fisheries Management Annual Workplan: A review of new and ongoing marine fisheries management issues and request approval of the 2019-2020 workplan.
- Federal fishery management updates
Consent agenda (a final decision may be made on this topic Dec. 12):
-
Tarpon tag rule cleanup: Proposed clarifications that would continue to allow the use of a tarpon tag when in pursuit of a Florida state record (FWC recently took over management of the state record program) and clarify that tarpon over 40 inches fork length cannot be removed from the water unless harvested in pursuit of a state or world record using a tarpon tag.
Links for more information:
Agenda [MyFWC.com]
Bay Scallop Online Survey
Share your input on the bay scallop season structure for 2020 and beyond
Information: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is gathering input on the bay scallop season structure for 2020 and beyond via an online survey. To have your feedback included in this planning, participate in the survey by visiting www.surveymonkey.com/r/BayScallops2018. This survey will be open through Dec. 28. A draft rule on this item is anticipated to be discussed at the February Commission meeting.
Links for more information:
Bay scallops [MyFWC.com
State Management of Gulf Red Snapper
Meetings to be held in December and January to gather public input
Information: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is holding public hearings and a webinar to solicit public comments on Draft Amendment 50 – State Management of Recreational Red Snapper. This amendment would, if approved, allow state management in future years and would provide flexibility to the Gulf states to set the recreational red snapper fishing season and potentially other management measures. To provide additional opportunities for the public to comment on this proposal, FWC is also holding public workshops on state management of Gulf red snapper.
Dates and locations for the meetings are as follows (unless noted below, all meetings are from 6-9 p.m. local time):
Dec. 3 – Pensacola: Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones Center, 913 I Street
Dec. 4 – Destin: Destin Community Center, 101 Stahlman Ave.
Jan. 7 – Fort Myers: Hyatt Place Fort Myers at the Forum, 2600 Champion Ring Road
Jan. 8 – Saint Petersburg: Hilton St. Pete Carillon Park, 950 Lake Carillon Dr.
Jan. 15 – Key West: Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave., 2nd Floor; *Hosted by FWC
Jan. 17 – Webinar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2288573373994739724; 6:00-9:00 PM EST
Jan. 23 – Tallahassee: Farris Bryant Building, 620 S. Meridian St. *Hosted by FWC
Crystal River *Hosted by FWC (Location and date pending, check MyFWC.com for updates)
Links for more information:
Gulf Council [GulfCouncil.org]
Workshops [MyFWC.com]
Snook Gulf season closes Dec. 1; Atlantic closes Dec. 15
Information: Recreational harvest season for snook closures include:
- Dec. 1 in Gulf federal and most Gulf state waters, including Monroe County and Everglades National Park, and will remain closed through Feb. 28, 2019, reopening to harvest March 1, 2019.
- Snook and red drum remain catch-and-release only in all state waters from the Hernando/Pasco county line through Gordon Pass in Collier County through May 10, 2019. Includes Tampa Bay and all of Hillsborough County.
- Dec. 15 in Atlantic state and federal waters including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, and will remain closed through Jan. 31, 2019, reopening to harvest Feb. 1, 2019.
Snook can continue to be caught and released during the closed season.
Link for more information:
Snook [MyFWC.com]
FWC needs your feedback
Information: FWC is collecting feedback on several fisheries issues including trap fisheries and shrimp.
Provide comments on these or other fisheries online at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Link for more information:
Saltwater Comments [MyFWC.com]
Catch a Florida Memory Submit saltwater catches and earn rewards
Information: These three programs reward anglers and encourage them to target a diversity of species, decreasing fishing pressure on the most commonly sought-after catches.
Anglers can join the new Triple Threat Club and earn even more prizes (including a long sleeve performance fishing shirt and a chance to win a weekend getaway) by participating in all three programs. Anglers must have at least one application approved for each program to qualify.
FWC also manages the Florida Saltwater Fishing Records program.
Link for more information:
CatchaFloridaMemory.com
|
|
