Published on: 18168893. The purpose of this rule is to create barracuda conservation measures for south Florida. These rules will create new size regulations in state and federal waters off south Florida.
In recent years, stakeholders throughout southeast Florida and the Florida Keys have voiced concerns about declines in barracuda numbers in that region of the state. The limited available scientific data suggests that barracuda density and average size in the Florida Keys may be declining, while fishing and diving stakeholders report drastic declines in density and average size throughout south Florida. At the September 2015 Commission Meeting, the Commission adopted a bag limit of 2 barracuda per person with a vessel limit of no more than 6 barracuda for recreational and commercial harvesters in south Florida beginning November 1, 2015. These changes are effective in state and federal waters off Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin Counties. The Commission also directed staff to gather additional information and determine whether or not further consideration of a size limit was warranted. Based on the available scientific information and public feedback gathered since that time, the proposed rule will create a slot limit that will provide additional conservation benefits while allowing all users continued acces to the fishery.
The effect of this rule will be to establish a slot size limit with a lower limit of no less than 15 inches fork length and an upper limit of no more than 36 inches fork length for all barracuda harvested from state and federal waters off Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties, with an allowance of one barradua per vessel larger than 36 inches fork length per day. These regulatory changes are intended to increase the average size of barracuda in the region and contribute to the rebuilding of the local population.
Published on: 18156671. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address creation of a new rule within the Commission’s barracuda chapter, 68B-60, FAC, to implement a slot size limit in south Florida. This rule development is proposed due to stakeholder concerns about the status of the barracuda population in south Florida and requests for a size limit received at public workshops and publicly attended Commission meetings.
Published on: 16296405. The purpose of this rule development is to create barracuda conservation measures for south Florida. These rules will create a new rule chapter for barracuda in order to define great barracuda as any fish of the species Sphyraena barracuda and create recreational and commercial size and bag limits for this species in south Florida.
In recent years, stakeholders throughout southeast Florida and the Florida Keys have voiced concerns about declines in barracuda numbers in that region of the state. The limited available scientific data suggests that barracuda density and size in the Florida Keys may be declining, while fishing and diving stakeholders report drastic declines throughout south Florida. Public workshops to gather additional information and stakeholder input indicated strong support for regional regulations on barracuda harvest.
The effect of this rule will be to establish a minimum size limit of 15 inches in fork length and a maximum size limit of 36 inches in fork length for all barracuda harvested in state and federal waters off Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties. Recreational barracuda harvesters would be limited to two barracuda per day, while commercial harvesters would be limited to twenty barracuda per day in these counties. A daily commercial vessel limit of twenty barracuda would also apply. These regulatory changes are expected to reduce barracuda harvest in the region and give the population an opportunity rebound.
Published on: 16154106. The purpose of this rule development notice is to address the possible creation of a new rule chapter for barracuda. The Commission is considering development of species-specific regulations for great barracuda. The effect of the new rule chapter would be to establish harvest regulations for the management of barracuda populations and could possibly include regional bag limits and size limits, to address great barracuda conservation concerns.