Black Bass
The final Florida Black Bass Management Plan can be reviewed online, or printed using the links below, along with summary materials and background information. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission approved this plan at a public meeting in St. Augustine, Florida, on June 9, 2011.
We would like to thank the thousands of anglers who provided input either in person, or via surveys to help ensure this plan included a broad public perspective. We also greatly appreciate the hard work of the Technical Assistance Group (TAG) that helped interpret the public input and merge it with our best scientific recommendations to develop the plan.
The TAG was comprised of representatives from a variety of public stakeholder segments such as avid anglers, tackle shop owners, lure manufacturers, tournament anglers, fishing guides, outdoor writers, university researchers and tourism destination marketers. We heard from more than 7,500 people, who completed either the first or second survey (or both) or spoke with our biologists.
The complete plan can be downloaded if you choose. There are also simple 3-panel (letter-sized) and 4-panel (legal-sized) brochures summarizing the plan. See links below.
Together we will ensure Florida is the undisputed "Bass Fishing Capital of the World," thus helping significantly to enhance the habitat not only for bass but for all aquatic species and people. Promoting the quality of our fisheries will also encourage tourism and foster an appreciation for the outdoors in our next generation. This in turn helps Florida’s economy and local businesses, and improves the quality of life for families and children by getting them involved in a lifetime of healthy, outdoor recreation.
Thank you for joining us in this effort,
Tom Graef, Director
Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management
Black Bass Management Plan (June 2011 PDF Files):
- Three-Panel (Letter-sized) Brochure--A brief overview of the plan, for general public (1.3MB).
- Four-Panel (Legal-sized) Brochure--A slightly more detailed overview of the plan, for fishing clubs and businesses (1.6MB).
- Florida Black Bass Management Plan--The complete plan with introductory materials and all of the action items, including annotated references, for scientists, students, sponsors and enthusiasts (4.1MB).
- Rack Card--Used for providing the public very general information and a link to this site (256KB).
Background Materials (Archives):
- First Draft Florida Black Bass Management Plan (400kb; Printable)
- Appendix I - Survey Results
- Appendix II - Team Members
- Appendix III - Communications Plan
- Appendix IV - Pro/Con Dialogue
- December 2009 - Initial announcement of the initiative
- April 2010 (125KB) - Information on efforts to collect public input.
- May-Jun 2010 Update (21KB)
Powerpoint with first Survey Results presented to the TAG group, June 2010 (324KB)
Powerpoint update presented to FWC Commissioners, June 2010 (2.2MB)