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Florida 2020 Saltwater Fishing Regulation Changes
Submitted by: TBC Press
Posted on: 07/24/20
News # 13738
The draft rules discussed by the Commission today, if approved again in October, would temporarily suspend all harvest of wild oysters from the bay and prohibit on-the-water possession of wild oyster harvesting equipment (tongs) through Dec. 31, 2025, or until 300 bags per acre of adult oysters can be found on a significant number of reefs.
While the Commission will make the final decision on whether to implement these changes at the October Commission meeting, they directed staff to proactively suspend all harvest of wild oysters through an Executive Order effective Aug. 1, 2020.
The proposed rules would not apply to oyster aquaculture operations.
“Apalachicola is a gem of a place and it is one that has been decimated,” said Commissioner Rodney Barreto. “I feel for all the fishermen and businesses there. We will continue to be emotionally and scientifically available to this community throughout this process.”
The FWC will continue to monitor recovery of oysters and re-evaluate whether limited harvest opportunities may be available earlier than anticipated.
In addition, the FWC received a $20 million commitment from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefits Fund to conduct large-scale restoration of oyster habitat in the bay. These funds will be used for a 5-year project that includes developing a stakeholder-informed adaptive management plan for the oyster fishery and clutching (the spreading of shell to restore oyster habitat) on 1,000 acres of oyster reef habitat.
Stone crab regulation changes; effective Oct. 1
Florida’s stone crab fishery has experienced a long-term decline in harvest and is likely undergoing overfishing. FWC staff worked with stakeholders on these changes that are intended to increase the stone crab population and build resiliency in the fishery.
Approved changes go into effect Oct. 1, 2020, and include:
- Moving the season end date from May 15 to May 1, closed on May 2.
- Requiring a 2 3/16-inch escape ring in all plastic and wood stone crab traps before the start of the 2023/2024 season.
- Increasing the minimum claw size limit by 1/8 inches from 2 3/4 inches to 2 7/8
- Limiting possession of whole stone crabs on the water to two checker boxes, each up to 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet OR a total volume of 24 cubic feet. Checker boxes are used to hold crabs onboard a vessel before they are measured and legal-sized claws are removed.
Learn more about stone crab regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine.
Changes to flounder regulations
A stock status update suggests that the flounder fishery statewide has been in a general declining trend in recent years and is likely overfished and undergoing overfishing on the Atlantic coast of Florida. Other states have also reported declines in flounder populations and have been making their own regulation changes. These changes will be brought back to the Commission in October for final consideration.
FWC has been working with stakeholders to gather input on this fishery through workshops, online commenting and more.
Draft rule changes include:
- Increase minimum size limit from 12 inches to 14 inches total length (recreational and commercial).
- Reduce recreational bag limit from 10 to five fish per person.
- Establish a November closure (recreational).
- Establish a commercial trip and vessel limit of 150 flounder when using allowable gear for all months outside of November.
- Establish a November commercial trip and vessel limit of 50 pounds when using allowable gear.
- Extend ALL FWC flounder regulations into federal waters.
The Commission also directed staff to continue working with the industry on flounder bycatch in federal waters.
To share your input on this draft proposal or to see more about what items the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management is working on, visit MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.
Learn more about flounder regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine.
Atlantic bluefish changes
Bluefish from Maine through the Atlantic coast of Florida make up a single population. A 2019 federal stock assessment found that this Atlantic population of bluefish is overfished. Because of the assessment results, federal fishery managers adopted more restrictive recreational bag limits in federal waters, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is requesting states implement similar regulations.
Changes approved by FWC include:
- Reducing the recreational daily bag limit from 10 to three fish per person along the Atlantic coast from Nassau through Miami-Dade counties.
- Clarifying that FWC regulations for bluefish do not extend into federal waters of the Atlantic.
The effective date for these changes is to be determined.
Learn more about bluefish recreational regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Bluefish,” which is under the “Regulations By Species – General Species” section.
For the full July 22-23 agenda, including links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/About and click on “The Commission” and “Commission Meetings.”
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Publishers Notes:
OUT OF STATE HUNTERS, FISHERMEN & OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS; Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, there could be limitations for OUT of STATE hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts to include a 14-day quarantine requirement or negative COVID-19 testing alternative. Please check with the State's Department of Natural Resources BEFORE you travel or apply for the 2020 Fall Hunts.
As OUR COUNTRY REOPENS AGAIN (from the COVID-19 pandemic) and continue to enjoy outdoor activities, ALL outdoor enthusiasts (man, woman, child) should follow the guidelines set by nps.gov. These guidelines include; social distancing, the Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safe and healthy.
At its July meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved 2020 regulation changes for the restoration of oysters in Apalachicola Bay, stone crab, flounder and bluefish.
Measures to support recovery and restoration of oysters in Apalachicola Bay
Historically, nearly 90% of Florida’s and 10% of the nation’s wild oysters came from Apalachicola Bay. But the Apalachicola Bay oyster population has been declining since 2013 after years of low water flow conditions.
Despite the FWC and many partners taking a number of steps to improve the status of oysters in the bay since 2013, downward trends in abundance continue. Today, Apalachicola Bay oyster abundance is at a historic low and conserving existing oysters and their habitat is of high importance.
