Basic Commercial Fishing Regulations - Gulf States Marine ...

Basic Commercial Fishing Regulations
lionfish
Removing lionfish can help Florida’s native
marine fish habitats and provide a meal at
the same time…
Florida has many fascinating saltwater fish species available in a multitude of
shapes, sizes and colors. One fish that anglers and divers may encounter is the
lionfish. These fish are intriguing in their own right but are not native to Florida
and originate from the Indo-Pacific region. These fish are predatory reef fish that
use their large spines, which possess venom, to protect themselves while they lay
in wait to engulf small reef fish.
Since lionfish were first reported off Florida’s Atlantic Coast in 1985, their life
history has enabled them to build populations in Florida and other places along the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Their lack of
major predators in these waters has allowed them to increase in numbers, expand their range, and negatively alter the natural systems where they
are found. Recently, a lionfish derby in the Florida Keys harvested 531 lionfish.
Commercial divers and anglers can remove lionfish they encounter to help control the numbers of these invasive fish. In Florida, lionfish have been
documented in every coastal habitat from the shore around docks to ledges at 1,000 feet so look for these fish and be ready act as you are able. If you
are comfortable in doing so, lionfish can be speared, caught with a hand net, as bycatch in traps or you may even catch one while fishing with a rod
and reel. Remember, they have venomous spines so care should be taken when handling these fish; stings are rarely fatal.
A saltwater products license is required to harvest and sell lionfish. Be sure to check gear, and other general regulations for their harvest at MyFWC.
com Removing lionfish can help Florida’s native marine fish habitats and provide a meal at the same time. For more information about lionfish use
these links:
uSGS: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.html
NOAA: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/stories/lionfish/factsheet.html
Stone Crab
FWC proposes extension of stone crab
protection into federal waters.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
proposes an extension of stone crab protection into federal
waters at the June commission meeting, the proposed rules
would extend its state management regulations for stone
crab into federal waters off Florida.
Currently, the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
has a federal fishery management plan in place for stone
crabs. The Council recently voted to recommend the repeal
of this plan to NOAA Fisheries Service (which has jurisdiction
to manage stone crabs in federal waters) because the stone
crab fishery is centered in Florida and the FWC already
plays a leading role in stone crab stock assessments and
management.
Most of the stone crab fishery occurs in state waters off
Florida, and existing federal regulations for stone crab are the
same as the FWC’s rules. NOAA Fisheries Service intends
to repeal the federal stone crab fishery management plan
before this fall’s opening of stone crab season on Oct. 15.
The proposed rules also will eliminate a federal form that
would no longer be required after repeal of the federal stone
crab plan.
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