| 23 August 2010
Based on analyses by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, their staff recommendation is proposed.
Editor's note: below are excerpts from the complete report released by FWRI Staff in preparation for presentation to the FWC Commissioners Sept 1-3.
Click here to read complete report
Click here to take Snook Foundation Poll
Short term management of the snook fishery
Options are available to be either more, or less, precautionary than the staff recommendation. The Commission may also wish to consider whether to implement a different strategy for the two coasts. The next full stock assessment for snook is scheduled for the end of 2011.
Influence of historical management of snook fishery
Snook regulations were modified in July 2007 with the goal of helping the stock reach a 40% spawning potential ratio (SPR).
These modifications likely helped to buffer the snook population against last winter’s freeze kill.
(Snook has a management goal of 40% SPR that was set in 1994 by the Marine Fisheries Commission. This SPR goal is more conservative than the goal for other species because snook are vulnerable to cold weather events and stakeholders wanted snook managed as a trophy fishery.)
Options: FWRI Staff is presenting four main options for how to proceed with snook management for the next year.
Option A is to revert to the current regulations. This option would reopen snook on September 17 when the newest executive order (extending the closed season through September 16) expires. Snook would close again on both coasts in December (Gulf would close December 1 and Atlantic would close December 15) as per the current regulations. (editor's note: does not address 2011)
Option B would extend the current closure for snook through the remainder of 2010.Based on the current regulations, snook would not open again until February 1 on the Atlantic coast and March 1 on the Gulf coast. This closure would protect the adult fish for the remainder of the year. (does not address 2011)
Option C would open snook in 2010, but reclose again for the spring of 2011. Specifically, this option would reopen snook on September 17 and then snook would close again under the current regulations on December 1 on the Gulf coast and December 15 on the Atlantic coast. In 2011, this option would keep snook closed from January through August in order to protect the fish during the winter months and during spawning months.
Option D would keep harvest of snook closed through spring 2011. Specifically, this option would keep snook closed for the remainder of 2010 and also through August 2011. Snook harvest would reopen on both coasts on September 1, 2011.
Recommendation: FWRI Staff recommends Option C, which would allow the fishery to reopen to harvest and possession on September 17, when the current executive order expires.
The fall harvest season would close again under the normal regulations on either December 1 (Gulf coast) or December 15 (Atlantic). Option C would keep the season closed through September 1, 2011 to afford one more year of spawning season protection. Under the normal regulations, harvest and possession would be allowed starting February 1 in the Atlantic and March 1 in the Gulf.
FWRI Staff makes this recommendation primarily based on available data indicating that the fishery was very robust going into the freeze. While there clearly were effects on the population, we believe the fishery is healthy enough to rebound and continue to grow.
The existing, restrictive harvest strategy already in place will help ensure that recovery. Having a brief harvest season this fall will also allow FWC to collect valuable information on the adult population through our normal harvest sampling and it will provide some harvest opportunity for anglers. Reinstituting the spring spawning season closure adds a level of precaution to this approach.
However, stakeholder needs and desires in this fishery are variable. While the biological health of the fishery is not in jeopardy at this time, the Commission may wish to consider stakeholder concerns and consider other options for the short term.
