Florida SaltWater Rule Making Public Input Request

[FloridaFishinFool]

FWC is now gathering public input on cobia and spotted seatrout, as well as flounder, sheepshead, tripletail, Gulf gag grouper, Gulf gray triggerfish, goliath grouper, trap fisheries and shrimp. Provide your comments today at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments.

http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/rulemaking/comments/

The following topics are either tentatively slated to be brought before the Commission in the near future or items FWC staff plan to begin working on.

This is not an all-encompassing list and topics may be moved to a later date or not discussed at all. Visit the Commission meeting agenda page to see what FWC staff will be presenting to the Commission at an upcoming meeting.

The FWC welcomes comments on any species, even those not featured on this page, at any time via the comment form, email at [Please enable JavaScript to see this content] or phone at 850-487-0554.

Visit the Marine Fisheries Workshops page for other public comment opportunities.

Commission Meeting Items

To learn more Commission proposals and to view presentations, visit the meeting agenda.
Sheepshead and Tripletail

FWC is collecting feedback on Florida's sheepshead and tripletail fisheries. If you fish for either of these species, we'd like to know more about:

    Whether you actively target them or if you catch them while targeting other species
    How you fish for them (hook-and-line, etc.)
    Is the fishery seasonal in your area
    When and where you target them
    Your thoughts on how these fisheries are doing – compared to the past and/or compared to other fisheries
    Your thoughts on current management of these species

For your comments to be considered at the July 10-11 Commission meeting, please submit input no later than May 31.

Cobia

Staff have heard concerns about cobia in recent years and is collecting public input on this fishery.

For your comments to be considered at the July 10-11 Commission meeting, please submit input no later than June 15.

Gray Triggerfish (Gulf)

FWC is discussing the potential for a short Gulf fall season in state waters. To learn more about the Commission proposal and to view presentations, visit the upcoming meeting agenda. For your comments to be considered at the July 10-11 Commission meeting, please submit input no later than May 31.

Gag Grouper (Gulf)

FWC is discussing making changes to the recreational gag grouper season in state waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor counties. Staff have received stakeholder requests for a longer season in this area, which is currently open yearly from April 1 through June 30. Gulf state waters outside of that area and all Gulf federal waters are open June 1 through Dec. 31. At the April 19-20 Commission meeting in Tallahassee, staff plan to present a draft proposal keeping the April through June season in this area and adding a September through December season. If this proposal is approved, it will need to come back before the Commission in July for final approval, but could be in place in time for anglers to participate in a fall season later this year. For your comments to be considered at the July 10-11 Commission meeting, please submit input no later than May 31.

Future topics

This is a list of general topics that staff may begin collecting additional public comments on soon.

Check back for updates and more information on the focus of these topics. This is not an all-encompassing list and topics may be moved to a later date or not discussed at all.

The FWC welcomes comments on any species, even those not featured on this page, at any time via the comment form, email at [Please enable JavaScript to see this content] or phone at 850-487-0554.
Goliath Grouper

Staff is discussing management strategies for this species that could be considered in the future. To learn more about, visit the Commission meeting proposal on the meeting agenda.

Flounder

FWC is collecting feedback on Florida's flounder fishery. If you fish for this species, we'd like to know more about:

    Whether you actively target them or if you catch them while targeting other species
    How you fish for them (hook-and-line, etc.)
    Is the fishery seasonal in your area
    When and where you target them
    Your thoughts on how these fisheries are doing – compared to the past and/or compared to other fisheries
    Your thoughts on current management of these species

Spotted Seatrout

Staff have heard concerns about spotted seatrout in recent years and is collecting public input on this fishery.

Trap Fisheries

The FWC will be reviewing several trap fisheries in the upcoming year including spiny lobster, blue crab, stone crab, pinfish/baitfish, lionfish traps, trap retrieval, recreational trap fisheries, and traps used for shellfish aquaculture leases. 

Shrimp

FWC will be looking at cleaning up and reevaluating the shrimp rule in the near future. These discussions will include talks on live food shrimp and the northeast shrimp fishery.

State Of Florida FWC public input website: http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/rulemaking/comments/