At their December Commission Meeting (November thirtieth – December 1st), the Commissioners with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) accepted new guidelines to assist with conservation efforts of the Gulf striped bass (Morone saxatilis) inhabitants within the decrease Ochlockonee River in Wakulla County. While you often connotate Striped bass with surf fishing within the Northeast and don’t consider Striper (Striped Bass) in Florida there’s a restricted inhabitants of them within the Gulf.
The FWC fee discovered that their analysis confirmed a excessive price of leisure harvest of broodfish (breeding measurement) Gulf striped bass. So workers put ahead a rule proposal to vary the harvest size restrict on the gulf striped bass. The new rule would nonetheless hold the present bag restrict of three fish per day for striped bass in impact. Instead, the brand new rule modifications the size restrict of the striped bass, altering it from the present 18 inches minimal harvest right into a no-minimum measurement restrict for gulf striped bass and just one fish over 24 inches to be harvested in your three-fish each day restrict. Due to the dimensions of the populations of gulf striped bass, they’re very depending on inventory enhancement utilizing hatchery manufacturing stockings and safety of the brood inventory of larger-sized striped bass.
“This rule change is a positive step for Gulf striped bass, an important sport fish in Florida,” stated FWC Commissioner Gary Lester. “We appreciate staff working with stakeholders on these ongoing conservation efforts for the future of this fishery.”
Staff held public conferences with native anglers to debate analysis and administration choices for this fishery at Lake Talquin in May 2022 and a further assembly in November to debate the rule language. Anglers have been supportive of utilizing regulation modifications as a administration device. Further stakeholder engagement will happen on this rule.
