FWC Proposes Increase to Red Drum Bag Limit

[wevans]

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Wednesday proposed a draft rule that would raise the recreational daily red drum bag limit from one fish to two per person in northern Florida. In addition, the FWC is proposing to create three regional management areas for red drum and establish a statewide eight-fish red drum daily vessel limit. The Commission also intends to develop ways to modify the red drum off-the-water possession limit.

“We’ve come a long way since the early 1990s, when red drum stocks were largely depleted, but the management of red drum in Florida is turning out to be a success story,” said Commissioner Kathy Barco. “The fishery is holding its own in southern Florida, and numbers of red drum in northern parts of the state are now at a point where it’s safe to give back some fish to anglers.”

The FWC has strictly managed red drum (also called redfish, channel bass and red bass) for more than 20 years to help rebuild overfished populations. A 2008 FWC stock assessment indicates that annual management goals for red drum are consistently being exceeded in areas of northeastern and northwestern Florida.

As a result, the FWC is proposing establishment of three management areas for red drum in Florida (which are the same as established management areas for spotted seatrout) to better target its management approaches for this popular Florida fish. In all waters in the northwest management area (Escambia through Pasco counties) and in the northeast management area (Flagler through Nassau counties), the FWC proposal would raise the daily recreational bag limit for red drum from one fish to two.

The Commission is also proposing a statewide eight fish daily vessel limit for red drum, and will consider management options regarding ways to modify the off-the-water red drum possession limit.

More information regarding the FWC’s red drum draft rule proposals is available online at MyFWC.com/Commission, linked from the Feb. 23-24 meeting agenda, and a final public hearing on these rule proposals will take place in April.

http://www.wctv.tv/wildlife/headlines/F ... 64159.html

[silverking]

I was there and urged the commission to err on the side of caution, especially since the stock assessments are trending downward (even in the proposed Northern zones) and they have a new stock assessment planned for later this year. Most of the other speakers and workshop participants argued for status quo as well. But the vote to go to a final public hearing in April was 4-2 in favor of increasing the bag limit to two fish. I don't think stocks will collapse immediately, but I do feel the commission is going to have a hard time reducing the limit again if future assessments show declining numbers. We have a very good fishery now, but a doubling of take and effort will have a harmful effect, I'm afraid.

I still don't see why there was such a rush to do this, other than to improve the commission's public relations image.

[wevans]

The main thing that concerns me about it is that there MAY be a lot more inshore fishers now that the offshore fishing is limited in the amount of legal fish one can bring home!

[Rhettley]

Good point Wevans. I doubt everyone that fishes will be bringing in two to the ramp every time though. I haven't been offshore in what seems like forever and it sure doesn't look like I will be going this year with the limits so rediculously low or closed and gas so rediculously high. There's bound to be much more pressure this year on the inshore and nearshore species.
My buddies out on Cape San Blas bought a bay boat instead of putting the money into repowering their offshore boat, which I think was a smart move.

[Reel Cowboy]

that's a great point Wevans.
The mess that's been created offshore may have a great deal of bearing on this. They, fisheries management, are probably looking for a way to "give the folks a win" at just about any cost. I know this is a state issue and the offshore deal is laid at the Fed's doorstep but I'm starting to feel a little troubled with the speed that they are making changes. Some of this stuff just doesn't seem thought all the way out.

[RayMalloy]

It should be 2 fish. The hook and line and home cooking is not what depleted the stocks and a doubling of the daily catch will not deplete it now. Nets and commercial sales depleted the stocks, and Thank God they are finally worried about their image if that is what it takes! They made me so sick with their nonsensical BS that I swore them off.

[CairoTrout]

Why not increase it? There are plenty of reds out there and the only way they will be dupleted is by nets. I know alot of people on this site love letting them go, but I also know some of us like to eat them and one doesnt cut the mustard. No limits and nets was the dupletion of reds back then, but two will not hurt anything. I say we need to say no trout over twenty inches should be kept.

[Gulf Coast]

All you 2-fish people are going to get what you want , hope it dosen't come back to bite ya'll on the arse.

[Redbelly]

It won't. 2 reds will be fine. It was the commercial netters and "Blackened" reds that did it in the restaurants.

2 reds will make a good dinner for my family of 4

[SHOWBOAT]

Why not increase it? There are plenty of reds out there and the only way they will be dupleted is by nets. I know alot of people on this site love letting them go, but I also know some of us like to eat them and one doesnt cut the mustard. No limits and nets was the dupletion of reds back then, but two will not hurt anything. I say we need to say no trout over twenty inches should be kept.

quit keeping the 18"ers Heath
One 26-27" red goes a long way. Maybe we should make the slot 25-28
Nothing personal buddy, JK

I think our money would go further getting some LA lobbiest to reduce the 25/5 limits they have.

[Chalk]

Think it should stay the same myself...higher gas, reduced offshore limits, oil spil will mean more traffic and more take. You are basically doubling the take...haven't looked but does the increase allow commercial harvest? Improving grass flats and restocking would be a wiser investment.

[Allnighter]

Yes there are more reds now than in years past, but why not let them keep doing there thing. People don't really "travel to" LA because they have a more liberal limil. They do it because they have the chance to go out there and catch a lot of fish and big ones at that. For an economic stand point we wont more people to come here to fish than over there. If we let the fish keep increasing in numbers then there is a good chance that can happen. I completely understand the reason why they are trying to do the increase. That being like was stated before, somebody higher up ask the biologist to come up with a way to increase something to quell the fickle masses. They have obviously done such a great job with the grouper and deer herds. Now this is all coming from a younger guy than most of you that grew up when it was more of a common place to catch and release. Im in my mid-20's and one of these days I would like to have kids god willing this economy will every turns around. Anyway I would like to be able to take them out on the flats and have them get into big schools of reds not pick around trying to find a few short fish. If the increase happens thats what your going to have, it might look better at first. Then after a year or two it is going to be harder to find slot fish.

You can always use waterfowl as a good example, the biologist saw yes the season is open on (for example blue bill's) you can take 4 the numbers are coming back up. Then a year our two later o no close the season for a year. With the increase of fisher man on the flats coming now is the time to stay strong. Lastly think of this redfish fishery as a tree house, if every body gets on it now it could fall down. On the other hand if you were to wait until it is level and strong then everyone can keep in and not worry.

[MudDucker]

From what I've seen the numbers are coming back and a 2 fish limit isn't going to hurt that so long as the netters are not allowed back in.

[silverking]

From what I've seen the numbers are coming back and a 2 fish limit isn't going to hurt that so long as the netters are not allowed back in.

While gill nets are banned under the constitutional amendment, a lobbyist for the commercial fishing industry told the commission that if the stocks are healthy enough to raise the bag limit for rec anglers, then there is no reason why they shouldn't also allow a limited commercial hook-and-line fishery. At least one commissioner publicly agreed. Redfish have enjoyed gamefish status since 1988 (no sale), but with the current climate in Tallahassee, anything is now feasible.

[Chalk]

While gill nets are banned under the constitutional amendment, a lobbyist for the commercial fishing industry told the commission that if the stocks are healthy enough to raise the bag limit for rec anglers, then there is no reason why they shouldn't also allow a limited commercial hook-and-line fishery. At least one commissioner publicly agreed. Redfish have enjoyed gamefish status since 1988 (no sale), but with the current climate in Tallahassee, anything is now feasible.

I knew it...there is usually a financial reason behind most changes and its not in the best interest of the recreational angler