FWC suspends harvest of Suwannee bass in the Wakulla River to aid conservation efforts

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will temporarily prohibit possession and harvest of Suwannee bass for no less than 24 months in the Wakulla River and its tributaries, effective immediately. This restriction includes the river's headwaters at Wakulla Springs and extends to its convergence with the St. Marks River, near the town of St. Marks.

Recent surveys by FWC biologists suggest that Suwannee bass are no longer present in the Wakulla River. The Wakulla River, once known for having the highest catch rates of Suwannee bass within the species' range, has seen a significant decline in their population.

The harvest restriction is intended to protect any remaining Suwannee bass and provide time for the FWC to gather additional data. The data collected during this period will help guide future conservation strategies for this species.

Suwannee bass are classified as a species of greatest conservation need by both the FWC and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Found in only six rivers in Florida and three shared rivers between Florida and Georgia, Suwannee bass have one of the smallest geographic distributions among black bass species.

For more information about the harvest suspension and Suwannee bass conservation efforts, visit the Executive Order at MyFWC.com.