BigBendFishing.Net

FWC Public Workshops:
Potential Rule Changes for the Tarpon and Bonefish Fisheries

 
Share your input on these important issues by participating in a workshop!

TOPIC: The purpose of these workshops is to gather public input on potential changes in the tarpon and bonefish rules to make them catch-and-release only fisheries throughout Florida’s state and federal waters. 
Possible changes include:
·  Eliminating the tarpon bag limit and allowing the harvest and possession of a single tarpon in conjunction with a tarpon tag only when in pursuit of an IGFA record
·  Modifying the tarpon tag program, including reporting requirements and calendar year, and
·  Discontinuing the bonefish tournament exemption permit that allows tournament anglers to temporarily possess bonefish for transport to a tournament scale. 
 
TIME: 6-8 p.m. EDT
 
WHEN and WHERE:
 
·        April 1: St. Petersburg at Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 Eighth Ave. S.E.
·        April 2: Dania Beach at IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum, 300 Gulf Stream Way
·        April 3: Key Colony Beach at City Hall, Mile Marker 53.5, 600 W. Ocean Drive
·        April 8: Statewide webinar and telephone conference call.
Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing/Saltwater/Rulemaking/Workshops.
 
 
For more information call the Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554.

Amanda Nalley
Public Information Specialist
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Division of Marine Fisheries Management
MyFWC.com
 

 
 

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Sounds like a great idea. There's no reason to kill a Tarpon or Bone. This ought to fix the PTTS jigger slaughter.

So as long as I'm fishing with IGFA leagal leaders I can claim i'm going for a record if I boat a fish? I can see the PTTS guys saying that they are going for the All Tackle record and skirting the law. Looks like this could be, in practice, no change at all to the current law.

I was making the assumption that the PTTS guys would be purchasing tags under the new rule. They could do the same thing right now if tags are purchased. How would this rule really change anything? As long as there is an exception for IGFA records, anyone can claim to be going for a record. If you really believe killing tarpon is wrong, it is just as wrong for the elitist IGFA record chasers to kill a tarpon as it is for the PTTS guys. Killing one is just as wrong as killing ten. The technique used to do the killing makes no difference.