CFOA News

  • Citizen scientists needed for FWC barotrauma tool study

    08 Jun 2017 3:23 PM | Anonymous

    Do you fish for reef fish like snapper or grouper? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking volunteer anglers and charter/headboat captains to take part in a descending-device citizen science study. Descending devices are tools used to recompress the swim bladder and increase a fish’s chance of survival when they cannot be kept and are experiencing barotrauma (swim bladder expansion when a fish is brought up from depths greater than 50 feet). Signs of barotrauma include the stomach coming out of the mouth, bulging eyes, bloated belly and distended intestines. 

    As a citizen science partner, you will test a descending device and help identify the benefits and drawbacks of using this tool when fishing in deeper waters. The information from all participants will be pooled to identify why some anglers might not use these tools. Your valuable feedback will be used to inform and improve efforts to increase the survival of caught and released reef fish. 

    To participate, prospective participants must first answer general screening questions. Randomly-selected participants will then watch a tutorial on descending devices, complete an initial evaluation, and test a descending device during the trial period from July 1, through Sept. 30, 2017. When the trial period ends, participants must complete a detailed post-evaluation about their experience by Oct. 15. Preliminary results of the evaluation will be available in late 2017.

    To apply for an opportunity to participate in this study, visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/XK55MJV.  To learn more about barotrauma, visit our YouTube channel at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterFishing.  For additional information, call 850-487-0554 or email Marine@MyFWC.com.


  • Senator Shelby Leads the Way for Better Gulf Red Snapper Data

    14 Mar 2017 11:33 PM | Anonymous

    March 14, 2017 – Alexandria, Va. – Due to an effort by Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will provide a competitive grant toward innovative Gulf of Mexico reef fish survey assessments and technologies.  The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) today praised this new program, which it believes will result in a more accurate estimate of the Gulf red snapper and lead to improved fishing access. This $9.5 million grant program was authored by Senator Shelby and directed by the Congress in the 2016 Appropriations Act.

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  • Oyster Bay Shoreline Stabilization Event follow-up

    30 Jan 2017 8:34 AM | Anonymous

    Letter from Dr. Walters, (UCF):

    Thank you everyone for a great shoreline stabilization day on Saturday!

    We had 62 people present, including 8 boats, to stabilize severely eroded shoreline at Canaveral National Seashore’s Oyster Bay site that is culturally and historically important to all of us.

    In addition to being a prehistoric shell midden of unique importance, it was also the location of a 16th century shipwreck of French explorers.

    We completed 200 meters of stabilization on Saturday – a new record for us for a site only accessible by boat!

    Funding for this effort came from the National Park Service, CCA, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the National Science Foundation, with in-kind support from the Marine Discovery Center, the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, and, of course, everyone with boats. Thank you all! Science-based stabilization is essential to protecting our lagoon into the future!

    Finally – we thank CCA and Frank Gidus for providing lunch for everyone and Greg Harrison, also CCA, for the amazing brownies!

    We have ongoing Oyster Bay stabilization work days planned for: February 25, March 25, and April 22. Please join us if you can – we especially hope to make April 22 our next BIG volunteer event day (it is also Earth Day)!

    Best wishes,

    Linda Walters


  • SAFMC News Release: Council Seeks Applicants for Federal Fishery Advisory Panels ; Deadline to Apply is February 10, 2017

    17 Jan 2017 3:10 PM | Anonymous

    NEWS RELEASE  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 17, 2017 (PDF - click here) Download AP application CONTACT:  Kim Iverson/Public Information Officer/843-571-4366/kim.iverson@safmc.net [hr] Council Seeks Applicants for Federal Fishery Advisory Panels The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently soliciting applicants for open advisory panel seats. Working at the grass roots level, advisory panel members provide information…

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  • Sportfishing coalition comments on controversial South Atlantic dolphin management measures

    22 Dec 2016 3:01 PM | Anonymous

    Read Full Story

  • FWC sets new barracuda size limits for south Florida

    17 Nov 2016 3:05 PM | Anonymous

    At its November meeting in St. Petersburg, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set new barracuda size limits.

    These changes will apply in state and federal waters off Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties only and include:

    • Creating a recreational and commercial slot limit of 15 to 36 inches fork length.
    • Allowing the harvest of one fish larger than 36 inches per person or vessel per day, whichever is less.

    “I’m grateful to south Florida stakeholders for bringing this item forward and to staff’s efforts in gathering public input on this important Florida species so that these reasonable management actions could be taken today,” said Commissioner Robert Spottswood....

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  • Old Dog, Same Tricks - When it comes to fisheries economics, NMFS just won’t learn.

    27 Oct 2016 3:02 PM | Anonymous

    et again, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued the 2015 Fisheries of the United States and under reports the value of good fisheries management to the United States economy. While groups such as Coastal Conservation Association, American Sportfishing Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership have advocated for the inclusion of the economic footprint of the recreational fishery alongside the economic footprint of the commercial industry, NMFS has only responded to this request by ignoring it....

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  • Mutton snapper management changes approved, effective Jan. 1

    08 Sep 2016 9:59 PM | Anonymous

    The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several mutton snapper management changes at the September meeting in St. Augustine.

     

    Changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2017, and include:

    • Increasing the recreational, commercial, importation and sale minimum size limits to 18 inches.
    • Reducing the recreational bag limit to five fish per person within the 10-fish snapper aggregate bag limit.
    • Replacing the May through June commercial trip limit in all state waters with a five-fish per person, per day limit from April through June in Atlantic state waters.
    • Establishing a 500-pound commercial trip limit for the remainder of the year (July through March) in Atlantic state waters.

    Public input from several workshops in February and August 2016 was considered by the FWC when making these changes. The Commission discussed but did not pursue special management actions for Western Dry Rocks, a well-known and popular mutton snapper spawning area southwest of Key West.

     

    Though mutton snapper is not overfished or undergoing overfishing, the 2015 stock assessment indicated that the population is smaller than previously estimated. These regulation changes are intended to prevent exceeding the updated federal quota, or number of fish that can be harvested, and to also avoid potential early season closures.

     

    To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Snappers.”


  • FWC extends recreational red snapper season per Gov. Rick Scott’s request

    08 Sep 2016 9:58 PM | Anonymous

    Following a request from Gov. Rick Scott, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has expanded the recreational red snapper season in Gulf state waters by adding an additional seven days in November. The expanded open season dates will be Nov. 5 and 6; Nov. 11 and 12, which is Veteran’s Day weekend; and Nov. 25, 26 and 27, which is the Thanksgiving holiday. The Nov. 26 date is also a saltwater license-free fishing day. Recreational fishing in Gulf waters adds $7.6 billion annually to Florida’s economy.

     


  • Several Atlantic gray triggerfish management measures approved at FWC meeting

    08 Sep 2016 9:57 PM | Anonymous

    At the September meeting in St. Augustine, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several changes to gray triggerfish management in Atlantic state waters.

     

    Temporary gray triggerfish changes were put into effect in November 2015 via an Executive Order set to expire in October 2016. The approved changes for gray triggerfish will put these temporary changes into rule as long-term management measures. Gray triggerfish changes include:

    • Reducing the recreational and commercial minimum size limit in Atlantic state waters to 12 inches fork length.
    • Reducing the statewide importation and sale minimum size limit to 12 inches fork length.
    • Creating a recreational bag limit of 10 fish per person in Atlantic state waters.

    To learn more about gray triggerfish, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Triggerfish.”