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.