Published on: 26045196. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments for Gulf gag grouper in response to a recent stock assessment and overfishing status for the gag grouper fishery.
Published on: 22876982. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Commission) is considering changes to state Gulf red snapper regulations based on recent federal regulation changes. The U.S. Secretary of Commerce recently approved delegating authority to manage private recreational red snapper harvest in federal waters from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council)/NOAA Fisheries to the states long-term starting in 2020.
The purpose of these rule amendments is to extend Florida’s regulations for Gulf recreational red snapper harvest (i.e., seasons, bag limits, and size limits) into Gulf federal waters. This rule amendment would also streamline the process used to set the season and allow federally-permitted for-hire vessels, which have their own season set by NOAA Fisheries, to possess (but not harvest) red snapper in state waters while the federal for-hire season is open but state waters are closed. Additionally, this rule amendment will also include minor, non-substantive technical changes to current rule language.
Published on: 22686183. The National Marine Fisheries Service recently approved action that would delegate authority to each of the Gulf states to manage harvest of red snapper by private recreational anglers in federal waters off their state. The Commission will consider several rule changes to 68B-14 that will extend Florida’s recreational red snapper bag limit, size limit and season into Gulf federal waters for private recreational anglers. The Commission will also consider rule changes to allow federally-permitted for-hire vessels to possess red snapper in Gulf state waters while the federal for-hire season is open, but state waters are closed.
Published on: 21820070. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Commission) is considering several changes to state reef fish regulations based on stakeholder input. The purpose of these rule amendments is to update reef fish regulations to align with stakeholder requests. Several of these changes would result in increased consistency with regulations for adjacent federal waters, may result in longer fishing seasons for federally-permitted commercial fishermen, or reduce regulatory dead discards. In addition, this rulemaking includes several technical changes to rule, corrects outdated references to federal rules, streamlines gag and black grouper minimum size limit language, and clarifies that the import size limit for gag grouper is 24 inches, which is the same as the minimum size limit for harvest statewide.
The effect of the proposed rule amendments would be:
• Blueline tilefish is designated a restricted species. This designation means commercial harvesters must have a Restricted Species Endorsement (RS) for harvest and sale of blueline tilefish. This may result in a longer blueline tilefish season for federally-permitted Atlantic commercial fishermen.
• The commercial minimum size limit for almaco jack is set at 20 inches fork length for Atlantic state waters. This will end harvest of small fish, increase reproductive potential of the stock, and may lengthen the fishing season. The South Atlantic Council recently approved a 20-inch commercial minimum size limit for Atlantic federal waters.
• The minimum size limit for blackfin, queen, and silk snapper is removed. These deep-water fish are extremely susceptible to barotrauma, thus allowing fishermen to keep any of these fish that they catch will reduce dead discards. This matches current and pending regulations in federal waters.
• Outdated commercial vessel limit and season language for Atlantic red porgy is removed. Because other provisions in FWC rule require commercial harvesters to follow federal vessel limits and seasons in Atlantic state waters, removing this outdated rule language would reduce confusion.
• Technical updates are made and outdated references to federal rules are corrected.
• The minimum size limit rule language for gag and black grouper is streamlined and the gag grouper import size limit is clarified.
Published on: 21429451. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments for reef fish in the 2019 calendar year as a result of stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management or enforcement requirements.
Published on: 20078144. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments for reef fish in the 2018 calendar year resulting from stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management or enforcement requirements.
Published on: 18448835. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments for reef fish in the 2017 calendar year as a result of stock assessments, federal regulatory actions or other management or enforcement requirements.