On June 14, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will be considering the adoption of additional regulations to protect and manage Florida’s snook populations. “We have endorsed and are urging the Commission to adopt these stronger conservation measures,” said Ted Forsgren, CCA Florida Executive Director.
Snook are one of Florida’s premier gamefish. For many years CCA Florida, as well as many other saltwater anglers and fishing guides have urged strong conservation measures for snook. In 1994 a conservation-oriented resource management goal of 40 percent spawning potential ratio (SPR) was established to protect this great gamefish. That goal has never been attained. 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 and red tide.
The FWC’s rule will modify the current regulations as follows:
- Atlantic Coast – a 28-32 inch slot size, one 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 44 percent.
- Gulf Coast – a 28-33 inch slot size, one fish bag limit and open to harvest in the months of March, April, September, October and November (the half month of December and the month of February were added to the existing closures). The change would increase the Gulf coast snook SPR to 43 percent.
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. Seatrout and mullet are managed for a 35 percent SPR and are achieving that resource goal. “We are, in fact, managing this great gamefish at protection levels lower than mullet,” said Forsgren.
There is widespread public support for the Commission’s rule. “We have 11,000 members throughout Florida and they are represented by the presidents of 28 local chapters from Pensacola to the Florida Keys,” said Forsgren. “At a recent vote by our Executive Committee, the chapter presidents voted unanimously to support the Commission rule.”
The proposed rule was developed and has been endorsed by the FWC Snook Workgroup, a diverse group with 21 members representing different parts of the state and various fishing interests. In addition to CCA Florida, the rule has also been endorsed by the Florida Guides Association, the International Gamefish Association (IGFA), and fishing clubs throughout the state.
“At their February meeting the Commission took the important first step in proposing this rule,” said Forsgren. “We urge them to adopt these measures as a final rule to protect and maintain this outstanding Florida gamefish.”
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