News Releases

Public meeting Jan. 25 on black crappie rule for Lake Griffin

News Release

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Media contact: Joy Hill, 352-258-3426

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will hold a public meeting on Jan. 25 to get people's input on a proposed rule change for a popular freshwater game fish in Lake Griffin. The meeting is from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Leesburg Community Center of Venetian Gardens in Leesburg.

The proposed rule would establish a 10-inch minimum size limit for taking black crappie from Lake Griffin. Currently, black crappie rules in Lake Griffin Fish Management Area follow the statewide rules of no size limit and a daily bag limit of 25.

"The Lake Griffin black crappie population has the potential to support a greater harvest of the larger black crappie," said Dennis Renfro, fisheries resource coordinator for the FWC. "The proposed 10-inch minimum size with a 25-fish daily bag limit regulation should allow anglers to take more large fish without harming the abundance or size/age structure in the lake."

At the meeting, FWC staff will give a short presentation to explain the science behind the rule proposal, and then answer questions and take comments from members of the public who have an interest in this subject.

For more information about the meeting, please contact Dennis Renfro at 352-732-1225.