NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

October 27, 1999

CONTACT: Norman Young (850) 892-8001

FWC PROPOSES MANAGEMENT CHANGES FOR THREE BLACKWATER LAKES

The public is invited to attend a meeting Nov. 8 in Milton to comment on proposed changes to fish management for three lakes in the Blackwater River State Forest.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is hosting the meeting in the County Commission Board Room for discussions regarding stocking fish in Bear Lake and changes to bass fishing regulations on Hurricane and Karick lakes. The County Commission Board Room is located in the new Santa Rosa County Administration Center on Highway 90 West in Milton and persons wishing to comment can come anytime between 6 - 8 p.m. (See our fisheries reports and publications page for brochures with information about these lakes)

FWC fisheries biologists recognize that many anglers utilize the lakes in Blackwater Forest primarily for catching fish to eat and for Bear Lake they are proposing an intensive stocking program of bream, catfish and perhaps even sunshine bass. In addition, fish feeders are being installed. Biologists are also proposing an 18-inch minimum largemouth bass size limit for Hurricane Lake and a catch-and-release bass rule for Karick.

"Our surveys show that anglers have reduced the number of quality-sized largemouth bass in Hurricane and Karick lakes and in fact, the majority of bass currently in these lakes are two-three years old and only 10-14 inches in size," said Norman Young, a FWC fisheries biologist who oversees management of these lakes. "Our proposals for these two lakes are to give the bass a chance to live longer and grow to a larger size and at the same time provide a higher quality fishery."

With adequate protection and public acceptance of the regulation changes on the two lakes, Young said largemouths should once again grow to 18-inches and longer. Another benefit is that these larger bass will feed on the extensive small bluegill population, which will result in higher numbers of larger bluegill.

Those individuals who attend the meeting will have the opportunity to discuss and comment on the proposals one-on-one with fisheries biologists who'll be in attendance.