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FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute recently completed a flounder stock status update that indicates the flounder fishery statewide has been experiencing a general declining trend in recent years and, on the Atlantic coast of Florida is likely overfished and undergoing overfishing. Based on the stock status update and public feedback received in recent years, staff is seeking additional public input on the fishery and a suite of potential updates to management of the fishery, including:

• Reducing the recreational bag limit from 10 to 5 flounder per person
• Increasing the minimum size limit from 12” to 14” (recreational and commercial)
• Establishing a November closure (recreational and commercial)
• Establishing a commercial vessel limit of 150 fish when using allowable gear
• Extending all FWC flounder regulations into federal waters

If you are interested in providing additional feedback on future management of this fishery, we are hosting virtual workshops on the topic on June 2 and June 4 from 6-8 pm EDT. Details on how to attend the virtual workshop can be found at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/rul ... workshops/.

Comments can also be submitted at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments or by organizing a small group meeting to discuss the topic with your areas marine fisheries management regional biologist. If you’d like to organize a small group meeting, feel free to contact me at Stephanie.Link@MyFWC.com.

Thank you for the information.


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IMO the only way they'll ever put a dent in declining flounder population is to either stop gigging completely or limit hours and locations.
That should stir the pot.

silverking wrote:FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute recently completed a flounder stock status update that indicates the flounder fishery statewide has been experiencing a general declining trend in recent years and, on the Atlantic coast of Florida is likely overfished and undergoing overfishing. Based on the stock status update and public feedback received in recent years, staff is seeking additional public input on the fishery and a suite of potential updates to management of the fishery, including:

• Reducing the recreational bag limit from 10 to 5 flounder per person
• Increasing the minimum size limit from 12” to 14” (recreational and commercial)
• Establishing a November closure (recreational and commercial)
• Establishing a commercial vessel limit of 150 fish when using allowable gear
• Extending all FWC flounder regulations into federal waters

If you are interested in providing additional feedback on future management of this fishery, we are hosting virtual workshops on the topic on June 2 and June 4 from 6-8 pm EDT. Details on how to attend the virtual workshop can be found at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/rul ... workshops/.

Comments can also be submitted at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments or by organizing a small group meeting to discuss the topic with your areas marine fisheries management regional biologist. If you’d like to organize a small group meeting, feel free to contact me at Stephanie.Link@MyFWC.com.

I support all of these except for the November closure, unless that is a specific spawning period.
I don't keep 12" flounder today- there's not enough meat on those fish to justify killing them.

I love to gig flounder but I support those changes if in fact they are considering them. Not that they give a crap about my opinion.

12" flounder are the most delicious ones there are fried whole. I prefer them over the larger ones.

That being said, I have seen seasons when the catch numbers went up or down, but overall I catch more now than in the past. Some of the guys at our tournament weigh-ins can tell you my boat would nearly always show up with flounder.

- Steve Stinson

https://youtu.be/ePWUpnPNzWY


The 1/2 Virtual Workshop is tonight at 6pm. This is a video FWC made that goes over the information they will discuss during the workshops. I’m for the proposed changes and believe it will help to take some pressure off. I’d love to see our flounder population booming.

I’m very selective when gigging and don’t gig any flounder that’s right at the 12” mark. Majority of customers want a 16” fish (around a 1.25-1.5lbs) I noticed working at the fish market. So the limit change won’t affect me, commercially and how I do things.

Going from unlimited commercial limit to 150 fish per vessel is fine I guess. I’ve never had a night close to that personally. (But I can imagine it!) if anything I feel the by-catch offshore plays a larger roll with vessels recently getting caught going over their limits by crazy amounts.









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I fully support these regs sans the November closure, I don't have enough information around the "Science of November" vs any other month. I think this is a smart move with fair impacts to both Recreational and Commercial. Today's commercial limits are "unlimited" but I wonder how many they're actually bringing in over 150 per trip?

FishWithChris wrote:I fully support these regs sans the November closure, I don't have enough information around the "Science of November" vs any other month. I think this is a smart move with fair impacts to both Recreational and Commercial. Today's commercial limits are "unlimited" but I wonder how many they're actually bringing in over 150 per trip?

I know almost everyone that’s commercial in my area and have not seen or heard of anyone getting close to “150” flounder in one night or even a few nights all together.

And maybe that proves their case for tightening the regs.

November (late fall/early winter) the mature flounder fall off shore to spawn. So closing down will allow the spawners to do their thing successfully.


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I know in the Atlantic up towards Jacksonville a lot of folks target them offshore during the spawn. Really picked up a few years ago when folks started diving for them, pretty easy to target them when they congregate offshore and you can fill up a limit pretty quick. Don't know enough to know if it impacted the population or not. I also never heard of anyone around here doing it, so it could be a localized thing there. Not a fan of the November closure, unless their additional information out there documenting its impacts.

STMU wrote:I know in the Atlantic up towards Jacksonville a lot of folks target them offshore during the spawn. Really picked up a few years ago when folks started diving for them, pretty easy to target them when they congregate offshore and you can fill up a limit pretty quick. Don't know enough to know if it impacted the population or not. I also never heard of anyone around here doing it, so it could be a localized thing there. Not a fan of the November closure, unless their additional information out there documenting its impacts.

That’s the spawn as you stated which is Nov-Jan depending on weather. They want to close the flounder season to let those mature fish reproduce. Takes a flounder 2-3 years of age to reach spawning maturity. So by protecting them we can allow the population to grow. A 12” flounder takes a year or more to get that size. ... burns both ends of the candle at the same time, see where I’m going?

That video link I posted has some good information, check it out.


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