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CCA FLORIDA
COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS |
FOR
SNOOK RULE
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1. CCA FLORIDA RECOMMENDATION
The FWC Commission should increase the current level of protection to achieve the Commission’s 40 percent SPR resource management goal for snook. CCA Florida recommends that the Commission adopt the following increased regulations:
- Atlantic Coast – a 28-32 inch slot size, 1 fish bag limit and open to harvest in the month of February, March, April, May, September, October, November and half of December (the same as the current open months). The changes would increase the Atlantic coast snook SPR to 43 percent.
- Gulf Coast – a 28-32 inch slot size, 1 fish bag limit and open to harvest in the months of February, March, April, September, October, November and half of December (the same as the current open months). The change would increase the Gulf coast snook SPR to 42 percent.
2. COMMENTS
- Snook are one of Florida’s premier gamefish. For many years CCA Florida, as well as Florida’s saltwater anglers and fishing guides have urged and endorsed strong conservation measures for snook. To protect this great gamefish the FWC has established a conservation-oriented resource management goal of 40 percent spawning potential ratio (SPR). Seatrout and mullet are managed for a 35 percent SPR resource goal. As a premier recreational fishery, snook should be managed for maximum abundance and larger fish rather than for maximum yield. A high protection standard is also warranted because snook are subjected to occasional severe mortality by early winter freezes. The FWC’s 40 percent SPR resource goal must be maintained.
- The Commission must take protective and precautionary positions in managing this important gamefish. The current stock assessment relies on information only through 2004. It does not include 2005, the year in which the west coast of Florida had the worst red tide in 30 years. The Commission needs to adopt additional conservation measures sooner rather than later.
- The most recent FWC stock assessment, which was released in February, shows that the snook SPR values on both coasts are significantly below the 40 percent goal. East coast SPR values range from 25 percent to 26 percent and west coast values range from 26 percent to 32 percent.
- We recognize that the Commission did approve some additional protection for snook by changing the slot size to 27-34 inches (instead of 27-35). The Commission did that as part of the adjustments for squeezed tail measurements. However, that change does not bring the SPR anywhere close to 40 percent.
- The CCA Florida recommendations will meet the Commission resource goal by bringing the Atlantic coast SPR up to 43 percent and bringing the Gulf coast SPR up to 42 percent.
We urge the Commission to act now and adopt more restrictions to protect and maintain this outstanding Florida gamefish. |
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Prepared by: Ted Forgsen
CCA Florida
905 E. Park Avenue
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 224-3474
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State Office: P.O. Box 568886 • Orlando, FL 32856
Phone: (407) 854-7002 • Fax: (407) 854-1766
e-mail: Marcia Dunfee |
Advocacy Office: 905 East Park Avenue • Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone: (850) 224-3474 • Fax: (850) 224-5199
e-mail: Amy Harllee |
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