Regulations and Enforcement
Regulating Catch and Stopping Violations is one way to Conserve the Resource
| 19 December 2011
Trout
PINELLAS COUNTY
Officer Bryan Beeler was conducting fisheries inspections in the area of Structure C of
the Pinellas Bayway when he encountered a fisherman in possession of four undersized
spotted seatrout. The appropriate citations were issued and the fish were seized.
| 19 December 2011
Trout
ST. LUCIE COUNTY
While on water patrol, Lieutenant Douglas Rogerson was advised by the U.S. Coast Guard
that a vessel they were boarding had spotted seatrout in a live well. The boarding officer
believed that trout season was closed and wanted to verify this with FWC. Lieutenant
Rogerson arrived to observe nine trout in the live well. Several fish were still alive and were
released back into the water. The others were retained as evidence. The subject was cited
for possession of spotted seatrout out of season.
| 18 December 2011
Snook & Redfish
LEE COUNTY
Officers Stuart Spoede and Gregory Bryson were on land patrol when they approached an individual to conduct a marine fisheries inspection. The officers determined the individual was in possession of several saltwater fish including redfish, snapper, and sheepshead, most of which were under the legal size limit. The subject had previously been cited for possession of illegal snook. The appropriate citations were issued.
| 01 December 2011
Trout
COLLIER COUNTY
Close to midnight, Officer Nathaniel Douglas initiated a fisheries inspection off U.S. Highway
41, west of State Road 29. Officer James Futch arrived to assist. Three subjects were in
possession of seven spotted seatrout out of season, resulting in one misdemeanor citation.
Under Miranda Warning, one of the subjects stated that earlier the same day he caught
three of the seven trout on the Barron River in Everglades City and provided a written
statement that he was unaware of the closure.
| 01 December 2011
Snook
PINELLAS COUNTY
RPS Officer Josh Allison observed a subject cast netting. The subject caught several fish
over the period of an hour and placed them in a bucket. Officer Allison made contact with
the subject and a resource inspection revealed that he was in possession of several mullet
and a small snook. A citation was issued for possession of snook during the closed season,
possession of undersized snook, and snook taken by illegal method.
| 01 December 2011
Snook
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Officer John Hoover was on foot patrol at the El Jobean fishing pier, when he encountered
an individual fishing with a cast net. A fisheries inspection revealed a 19-inch snook. The
subject admitted to catching the fish with the net and was issued a notice to appear for
possession of snook out of season, possession of an undersized snook and taking snook by
an illegal method.
| 26 September 2011
Take Action:
Easy steps to let FWC commissioners know how you feel about the proposed sea trout regulations.
FWC NEEDS TO HEAR YOUR VOICE! Exercise your rights, let the Commission know how you feel about allowing much more commercial access to the sea trout fishery in Florida.
Currently, commercial anglers are allowed to fish 3 months out of the year, with a restricted sale season and a max haul of 75 fish per boat. The proposed changes would double their boat haul to 150, increase their fishing times to 8 months, and allow them to sell the fish state wide year round. There is also a proposal to open the fishery to recreational anglers year round.
FWC has not heard from many recreational anglers on this issue. To them, this means we are OK with allowing the commercial anglers to fish for 8 months and sell all year, with an increased boat limit of 150 fish.
We feel that the recreational opinion is too important to ignore. So the SGF has made it very easy for you to follow through and email the commissioners. Here's how:
- Step 1. Highlight the body of the sample letter below and "copy" it.
- Step 2. Go to the FWC site http://myfwc.com/contact/
staff-contacts/senior-staff/ commissioners/
- Step 3. "Paste" the letter into the "comments" section. Don't forget to personalize the letter - be your own voice!
- Step 4. Fill in your name, your email, and the subject boxes. Even though you personalize it, the subject should be "Sea Trout Proposals." Then click send!
We strongly suggest you read our article on the issue, as well as FWC's proposal presentation.
Don't forget to personalize the letter - this is YOUR voice, we are only providing the template.
Template for letter to paste into FWC "comment" box.
Message:
Limit Commercial Sea Trout Expansion in Florida.
Dear Commissioner,
I am writing to express my concerns about the proposed changes to the commercial spotted sea trout regulations and how they could harm Florida's fishery. Fishing is the #1 industry in Florida and our state's tourism-based economy depends on a well managed fishery. As someone who spends time on Florida’s beautiful inshore waters, I urge you to consider my requests as we work together to protect this vital resource.
- 1. Do not increase the per-boat limit of 75 sea trout to 150.
- 2. Limit the commercial fishery to hook and line only – no netting of sea trout should be allowed.
- 3. The commercial sale of trout should be limited to a defined season and region where the fish was caught.
Because of the generally predictable behaviors of spotted sea trout, doubling the boat limit will allow local spots to be essentially cleaned out in a matter of days. Same goes for netting – a hook and line only commercial fishery makes sense if the goal is protecting Florida’s state fish from over exploitation. Finally, expanding the sale to year-round is an unnecessary gesture that would encourage poaching.
FWC has done a fantastic job regulating the spotted sea trout fishery to date; numbers are strong and this fish is making money for Florida in the form of hundreds of thousands of recreational fishing trips each year. With the increasing cost of fuel and offshore fishing, we need to maintain diligence in protecting all of our inshore fisheries so future generations can enjoy the bountiful fishing we have today.
Sincerely,
(your name,
Your email,
Your address)
| 31 October 2011
Snook
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Officers Brian Norris and Jason Cooke were conducting fisheries inspections at the El Jo Bean Pier when they observed several people leaving the pier with fishing gear in a stroller. One of the individuals observed the officers and quickly transferred the fishing gear into some nearby bushes. When the officers stopped the individuals, the subject who had concealed the fishing gear admitted he hid the gear because he did not have a fishing license. Among the fishing gear stashed in the bushes, the officers located several snook fillets and issued the appropriate citations. While attempting to identify the subject, he provided the officers with a false name. The officers determined the man’s true identity and realized the individual had been cited at the same location a few weeks prior for the possession of an approximately 300 pound goliath grouper.
| 21 October 2011
Snook
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
Resource Protection Squad (RPS) Officer Andy Zamonis, by working in a plain clothes
capacity, has issued several citations for oversized redfish, over the bag limit of redfish,
oversized snook and undersized snook in south Brevard and Indian River counties. Many
of these individuals went to great lengths to conceal their catch. Due to Officer Zamonis’
perseverance and observation, the illegal fish were located and the individuals were cited.
| 15 October 2011
Snook
Lee County
After RPS Officers Justin Koble and Brian Cazalot observed an individual fishing from the
Blind Pass Bridge, they posed as fishermen and conducted surveillance on the subject.
The officers observed the individual catch a small snook and place it in a bucket concealed
under the bridge. When the subject retrieved his gear and proceeded to leave the area, the
officers approached and conducted a marine fisheries inspection. The inspection revealed
two illegal snook and a citation was issued for possession of undersized snook, possession
of snook during the closed season, and over the bag limit of snook.
| 12 October 2011
PINELLAS COUNTY
Snook
Resource Protection Service (RPS) Officers Bill Holcomb and Erica Zimmerman conducted
a fisheries inspection on an individual walking under the Gandy Bridge toward his vehicle
carrying a bag of fish and a rod and reel. During the inspection, the officers determined the
subject was in possession of an undersized snook. A citation was issued for possession of undersized snook and possession of snook during closed season
| 02 October 2011
Snook
Indian River County
RPS Officer Andy Zamonis was on foot patrol in plain clothes at the Sebastian Inlet. He
watched a man fishing from the beach with a rod and reel catch a red drum and place it in
a cooler. The subject returned to fishing and caught a second red drum, also placing it in
the cooler.
| 30 September 2011
A summary of trout, redfish and snook citations for the first half of September.
| 21 September 2011
A summary of trout, redfish and snook citations for the first half of September.
| 08 September 2011
The good news: FWC has paved the way for an excellent Sea Trout fishery.FWC Proposes increases in both Recreational and Commercial Limits
Based on data that reflects a robust fishery that has “met or exceeded all recovery goals,” FWRI suggests that relaxing the take regulations won’t hurt the fishery. Thus far, there has been little to no public opposition to the changes, which would include nearly doubling the amount of time commercial fishermen can spend fishing for sea trout, move their season to different times of the year in some portions of the state, and allow them to sell trout year round. What might that mean to the fishery in the future?
FWC Commissioners meeting June 9th voted a Bi-coastal approach to Snook season reopening.
| 03 January 2011
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
The Orlando Communications Center received an anonymous complaint of two individuals in Vero Beach who caught over 50 snook and kept them. The information was passed on to Officer George Karlton, who drove to the address and found a large plastic barrel half full of freshly cleaned snook carcasses. Officer Karlton spoke with the property owner who admitted to catching and filleting 61 snook. The subject and his son were both charged with possession of snook out of season, over the bag limit, and illegal method of harvest (cast net). Additional charges of undersized and oversized limits, and major violation civil penalties up to $6,100 are pending.
| 30 November 2010
BREVARD COUNTY
Officers Andy Zamonis and Damon Saunders checked fishermen at the Sebastian Inlet and issued Notices to Appear to two men for two undersize snook, one undersize redfish, 13 undersize sheepshead, one undersize and out of season trout. The men were also charged with Taking Snook by a Cast Net, an illegal method.
| 01 December 2010
December 1st - Red Drum Poll Interim Summary
434 anglers have taken the poll/preferences were as follows;
196 prefer to leave Red Drum rules as is
137 prefer the Red Drum bag limit in northern Gulf and Atlantic counties be increased to 2 per person per day
254 support a vessel limit (94 support a vessel limit of 1 per person, 160 support a vessel limit of 2 per person)
114 would like to see a trout rule review
44 have attended or plan to attend an FWC Public Workshop on Red Drum rules.
See Comments
| 23 August 2010
Based on analyses by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, their staff recommendation is proposed.
