FWC proposes changes for snook management

At its May meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proposed new management regions and regulation changes for snook. The proposed new regions would allow the FWC to better capture local differences in the fishery.

The proposed rule changes would:

• Establish nine management regions for snook.
• Match current Gulf or Atlantic coast regulations within new regions, except for Charlotte Harbor.
• Charlotte Harbor: Match current Gulf coast regulations, and:
  • Implement a two-fish vessel limit,
  • Include September in the summer season closure.

“This adaptive, holistic approach to fisheries management is the key to conserving our fisheries for future generations,” said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. “On behalf of the Commission, I want to encourage anglers and anyone interested in the future of snook in Florida to get involved and share your valuable feedback with FWC staff.” 

Staff will continue to gather input on the proposed rules ahead of a planned final rule hearing at the October Commission meeting. Submit a public comment on snook regional management by visiting MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

For the full May 10-11 agenda and links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings.” Those who cannot attend can follow coverage at Twitter.com/MyFWC (@MyFWC) and sign up for news updates at MyFWC.com. Check the Florida Channel for possible live video coverage at TheFloridaChannel.org.

For current recreational snook regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Snook.” This page includes the snook annual reviews which provide a summary of the snook fishery status in each proposed management region.