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News Release |
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FWC wraps up Panama City Beach meeting February 7, 2008
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wrapped up a two-day meeting in Panama City Beach after proceeding through a lengthy agenda. Commissioners voted to approve rule changes for management of wildlife and regulations on wildlife management areas during Wednesday’s session. Under the new rules, the definition of nuisance wildlife changes to wildlife which causes or is about to cause property damage. Wild hogs are defined as free-roaming hogs that legally cannot be claimed as domestic hogs in private ownership. Commissioners voted to expand the area open for Canada goose season to include the entire state and to allow falconers to take light geese and Canada geese statewide. The new rules also increase the number of days for the spring turkey season in Holmes County from three to 16. Commissioners passed a rule prohibiting Internet hunting that makes it illegal to hunt via remote-control methods when a person is not physically present at the location of the gun. In addition, the Commission voted to increase the fees for recreational use permits for Grove Park, Ft. McCoy, Relay and Twelve Mile Swamp wildlife management areas. Possession of open containers of intoxicating beverages on shooting ranges is now prohibited under the new rules. In the area of freshwater fishing regulations, the Commission voted to approve new rules in specific fish management areas. The new rules include increasing the black bass length regulation on Lake Okeechobee to an 18-inch or greater minimum length limit, establishing a 10-inch or greater minimum length limit for harvest of black crappie on Lake Okeechobee and changing the boundary definition for Lake Okeechobee. In addition, Commissioners voted to approve black bass regulations on Lake Trafford to include a bag limit of five fish, all of which must be 18 inches or greater in total length and only one fish may be 22 inches or greater in total length. The Commission listened to presentations on the FWC Quota Hunt Program and the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration. Commissioners also approved the Florida Deer Strategic Plan and the Waterfowl Strategic Plan. Regarding land acquisitions, the Commission directed staff to proceed with the process to pursue an exchange between the City of Lakeland and the FWC of certain lands within the Tenoroc Fish Management Area. During Thursday’s session, the Commission considered several marine fisheries issues. Commissioners approved new rules similar to recently implemented red snapper regulations in Gulf federal waters that are intended to end overfishing of red snapper in the Gulf and reduce release mortality of Gulf reef fish. The new rules reduce the daily recreational bag limit for red snapper from four fish to two fish per person and establish a zero daily bag limit for captains and crew of for-hire vessels in all Gulf waters off Florida. No change will be made to the April 15 through Oct. 31 Gulf recreational red snapper harvest season in state waters. However, new federal rules establish a June 1 through Sept. 30 recreational harvest season in Gulf federal waters adjacent to Florida waters. Other new FWC rules reduce the minimum size for commercially harvested red snapper in the Gulf and for imported red snapper from 15 to 13 inches total length, and reduce the daily commercial bag and trip limit for red snapper harvested in Gulf state waters off Florida from four fish to two fish daily per person. The new rules also require all commercial and recreational anglers fishing for any Gulf reef fish species to use circle hooks, de-hooking devices and venting tools. The new red snapper rules take effect on April 1. The rules requiring circle hooks, de-hooking devices and venting tools for all reef fish species take effect on June 1. The Commission also approved a rule to modify the legal dimensions for black sea bass traps to allow more flexibility in the size and shape of these traps, and directed staff to conduct public workshops and prepare a draft rule to increase commercial mullet fishing opportunities. In other marine fisheries actions, Commissioners considered management alternatives for south Atlantic gag grouper and vermilion snapper and Gulf gag and red grouper. They also agreed to support certain federal fishery disaster relief programs, including relief for the commercial shark industry. The complete agenda is available at MyFWC.com/commission/2008/Feb08/index.html. The next FWC meeting is set for April 9-10 in Tallahassee. |
Our mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
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