FWC meeting: Dolphin fish limits to decrease, bass to be sold, shrimp rules clarified
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved several significant rule changes that will go into effect in 2022, and is working on more.
Anglers will find reduced bag limits for dolphin fish (mahi mahi). Seafood consumers will find largemouth bass on restaurant menus. And captive wildlife owners will find some changes to permit requirements.
The seven-member, governor-appointed board approved these and other changes during a two-day meeting in Destin last week:
Open season: FWC allows killing of goliath grouper for first time in over 30 years
No mouths to feed?: Manatee feeding was to begin Wednesday. The only thing missing? Manatees.
A new bird?: Mocking the state bird? Is replacing mockingbird bird-brained or idea whose time has come?
Florida springs protection zones
The FWC can create zones, when necessary, to restrict the speed or operation of vessels, prohibit anchoring, mooring, beaching or grounding of vessels to protect or prevent specified harm to first-, second- and third-magnitude springs and spring groups, and their associated spring runs.
Captive wildlife licensing
People who have had licenses revoked or nonrenewed for violations will be limited from continuing to benefit from or be involved with captive wildlife.
Largemouth bass production
The commission drafted rules for the production and sale of largemouth bass as a food fish from aquaculture production facilities.
Largemouth bass fishing
New rules for anglers at three lakes — Suwannee Lake Freshwater Management Area near Live Oak, Lake Victor FMA in Holmes County and Shop Lake at Tenoroc FWM near Lakeland — include a 16-inch maximum-length limit (i.e.: possession of fish over 16 inches prohibited); a 15 fish daily bag limit; and circle hooks requirement when live-bait fishing with baits larger than 3 inches.
At Headwaters Lake, formerly the Fellsmere Water Management Area, all bass will be catch-and-release only and circle hooks are required when using live bait larger than 3 inches.
Diamondback terrapins
People cannot take turtles found in freshwater and brackish waters. Blue crab trappers must use bycatch reduction devices beginning in 2023.
Hunting rules
Wild turkey harvests must be reported.
Shrimp
Rule changes for recreational and commercial shrimp harvests in the Gulf of Mexico are aimed at clarifying harvest locations and timing of seasons.
Dolphin fish (mahi mahi)
Commissioners next year will vote on language drafted last week to reduce recreational dolphin harvests in the Atlantic Ocean from 10 to 5 for individual anglers and from 60 to 30 for vessels. Captains and crews would be prohibited from taking a bag limit.
Manatees and alligators
Commissioners were briefed on the status of efforts to help dying manatees and how the nuisance alligator trapping program is reducing negative alligator-human interactions.
FWC law enforcement officers honored
Three FWC law enforcement officers were honored at the meeting:
Investigator Kevin Kleis was named 2021 Wildlife Officer of the Year by the Shikar-Safari Club International. Kleis is based in Collier County, where he coordinated a fishing tournament for Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. He assisted in locating and recovering a stolen sailboat, returning it to its owner and arresting a suspect for grand theft. He also assisted in identifying and arresting a suspect for illegally killing a Florida black bear.
Kelly McKnight and Paul Dontenville, FWC assistant statewide prosecutors based in Tampa, were named the agency’s Prosecutor of the Year award for work on Operation Triple Play. The two-year transnational wildlife smuggling investigation involved 3,600 native flying squirrels that were unlawfully poached from Central Florida and laundered through captive wildlife licenses. To date, six U.S. residents have been arrested and two international warrants are pending extradition.
Ed Killer is TCPalm's outdoors writer. Sign up for his and other weekly newsletters at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage. Friend Ed on Facebook at Ed Killer, follow him on Twitter @tcpalmekiller or email him at ed.killer@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: FWC meeting in Destin last week addressed several rule changes
