| Subject: FWC Meeting |
Author:
Glenn
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Date Posted: 04:20:11 04/06/02 Sat
FWC MEETING YIELDS HUNTING AND FISHING RULE CHANGES
April 5, 2002
Contacts: (wildlife and freshwater issues) Henry Cabbage (850) 488-8843
(marine issues) Lee Schlesinger (850) 487-0554
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC’s) April 3-4 regular meeting yielded major changes in hunting and fishing rules.
The FWC approved a rule to lengthen the annual two-day antlerless deer season to seven days on private lands. FWC biologists proposed the rule to improve the quality of the deer herd in Florida.
Also, Commissioners approved a split hunting season for ducks, light geese and coots. The season will occur in two phases – the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the Sunday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 23 – Dec. 1 this year) and Dec. 1- Jan. 20. Although the two phases overlap this year, they will not during most years.
Commissioners voted to continue operating the Triple N Ranch Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as a special-opportunity hunt area. The FWC will conduct two seven-day deer hunts, with a quota of 15 hunters for each hunt, and three seven-day spring turkey hunts, with a hunter quota of 10 for each, on the area.
The FWC also approved a new rule to prohibit harvest of mink in Florida.
Regarding freshwater fishing issues, Commissioners lifted the prohibition against freshwater fishing tournaments on lakes Jackson (Leon County), Lochloosa, Orange and Okeechobee from July through September.
Another rule change affecting Merritts Mill Pond Fish Management Area (FMA) increased the bag limit from five to 10 and reduced the minimum length limit from 14 to 10 inches total length for redear sunfish. Commissioners also approved the same size and bag limits for bluegills and redear sunfish at Marl Pit 2 on the Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area.
In addition, Commissioners approved opening the Joe Budd Pond FMA for weekend public fishing from the first Saturday of July to Tuesday following Labor Day.
Commissioners amended Tenoroc FMA regulations to specify that all black bass 15 inches or longer are for catch and release only on Picnic Lake. Commissioners eliminated the 10-horsepower motor restriction for boats on lakes B and 5 at Tenoroc but approved a regulation to require boaters to operate at idle speed and produce no wake. Another provision of the new Tenoroc regulations lifts the requirement that anyone 16 years or older must be accompanied by someone under age 16 while fishing on Picnic Lake and establishes that requirement at Derby Lake.
Concerning marine issues, the FWC voted to reopen the recreational harvest of bay scallops in state waters between the Suwannee River and the Pasco-Hernando county line and prohibit harvest of bay scallops west of the Mexico Beach Canal. The rule change is in response to changes in regional abundance of scallops.
Commissioners established a sponge harvesting endorsement on the saltwater products license for persons who commercially harvest and sell sponges beginning July 1 and a 10-piece per day bag limit and on-the-water possession limit for commercial sponge species harvested recreationally. The rule also prohibits harvest of any commercial sponge measuring less than five inches in greatest dimension, when wet, measured across the top of the sponge.
Under another new rule, certified aquaculture facilities with a snook special activities license may culture, transport and sell snook produced as brood stock to private ponds and for aquarium and other exhibitional display. The rule includes safeguards to minimize escape of genetically incompatible snook and a provision that FWC snook management rules apply to fish once they are removed from the private property where private ponds are located.
Commissioners approved amendments to stone crab trap limitation rules, including increasing the number of trap certificates to be allotted by the advisory and appeals board to settle disputes from 100,000 to 180,000, and extending the life of the board to July 1, 2003.
They also approved a rule to allow importation of spiny lobster tails into Florida during the closed season under certain conditions. In addition, the Commission approved draft rules to allow lobster fishermen to possess, up to one undersized lobster (short) per trap on board their vessels, plus 50 more shorts, to attract legal-sized lobsters into traps, provided the vessels meet live well requirements for shorts.
The draft rules also would require that wire-reinforced wooden slat lobster traps have a maximum distance of 2 Ľ inches between the wooden slats and that the slats have a minimum width of 1 Ľ inches, beginning in 2003.
Other lobster rule proposals include clarifying that when one or more persons possessing the special recreational crawfish license is aboard a vessel, the vessel bag limit is 50 lobsters, regardless of the number of licensed persons aboard, and formalizing policy regarding untagged lobster trap administrative penalties.
A final hearing on these proposed rules will take place during the FWC’s next regular meeting in May.
The FWC also approved a draft rule to increase the allowable shrimp harvesting areas in Dixie County waters by 5,900 acres. Commissioners plan to conduct a final hearing on that issue at the May meeting.
Commissioners also directed staff to draft rules to require imported reef fishes to meet Florida’s minimum size limits, and reduce the harvest and fishing mortality of pompano state-wide. The Commission will conduct public workshops this summer to receive comment on these issues.
In other action, Commissioners approved a rule to prohibit intentional feeding of black bears, foxes, raccoons and sandhill cranes. The four species pose public safety hazards when fed. Artificial feeding also tends to concentrate these species in close proximity to the human population, which also increases the risk of depredation to pets and transmission of diseases from wildlife to domestic animals.
Commissioners also reviewed red drum fisheries, the Dixie County shrimp line, compliance of fish imports with Florida size limits and Biscayne National Park Fishery Management Plan issues.
The two-day meeting was the first for recently appointed Commissioner Sandy Kaupe of Palm Beach.
The next regular FWC meeting will take place May 29-31 in St. Augustine.
HPC/OIS
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FWC Agenda Items April 3-4, 2002
Tallahassee, Fla.
Oath of office to new FWC Commissioner Sandy Kaupe.
Recognition of Sgt. Philip L. Shoemaker Sr. for 36 years of service to the agency.
Re-establishment of the Point Washington WMA, deleting two land tracts of 6,911 and 38,082 acres.
Establishment of the Pine Log WMA – 6,911 acres in Bay County.
Establishment of the Twelve Mile Swamp WMA – 19,696 acres in St. Johns County.
Adding Potts, Homosassa and Joe Budd WMAs to the list of areas where hunters may take wild hogs without size or bag limit restrictions.
Prohibiting intentional feeding of black bears, foxes, raccoons and sandhill cranes.
Quota hunt permit application, selection and issuance procedures.
Permits for hunting or other recreational use on Twelve Mile Swamp WMA and user quota on San Pedro Bay WMA.
Requiring a short-term use permit for the Lake County portion of the Hilochee WMA.
Establishment of a split season for duck, goose and coot hunting season.
Adding five days to the annual antlerless deer season on private lands.
Allowing centerfire shotguns on wildlife management areas for migratory game bird hunting during established seasons, unless prohibited by WMA rules, prohibiting removal of rocks, minerals, animal life or other natural resources from wildlife management areas without a permit.
Establishment of quota permits, antlerless deer permits and special opportunity permits on wildlife management areas and wildlife and environmental areas.
Clarification of the prohibition of centerfire rifles outside the C-38 canal; when antlerless deer may be taken and that airboats are prohibited in certain areas of the Kissimmee River Public Use Area.
Adjusting hunting season dates on Type I wildlife management areas to conform to hunting season dates for appropriate hunting zones.
Clarification that the FWC executive director or designee shall (rather than may) issue permits to raccoon hunting organizations provided specified permit criteria are met.
Adjusting hunting season dates on Type II wildlife management areas to conform to hunting season dates for appropriate hunting zones.
Adjusting hunting season dates on wildlife and environmental areas to conform to hunting season dates for appropriate hunting zones.
Prohibition of harvesting mink.
Options regarding establishment, operation and configuration of the Triple N Ranch and Bull Creek WMAs.
Deletion of the prohibition against fishing tournaments on lakes Jackson (Leon County), Lochloosa, Orange and Okeechobee from July through September.
Adjustment of regulations on certain fish management areas.
A proposed rule to exempt registered aquaculturists from permit requirements for possession of restricted non-native aquatic species.
Revising regulations governing alligator egg and hatchling collections on lands not included in alligator management programs on private lands.
Revising regulations governing establishment of alligator management programs on private lands.
Revising regulations governing the statewide alligator trapping, permitting, taking and sale.
Proposed projects for funding with Conserve Wildlife License Tag revenue.
Proposed FWC trade of 150.6 acres of land in the Tenoroc Fish Management Area for 250 acres owned by the City of Lakeland.
Special presentation by the Snook Foundation.
Stone crab trap limitation.
Revising bay scallop harvest regulations.
Revising regulations concerning snook aquaculture, sale and exhibition.
Revising regulations concerning permits for collection of snook brood stock for aquaculture.
Permitting importation into Florida of spiny lobster during the closed season.
Clarification of regulations governing commercial sponge fishing.
Review and discussion of the Dixie County shrimp line and landings data.
Review and discussion of compliance of fish imports with state size limits.
Review and discussion of pompano stock assessment.
Review and discussion of lobster trap configuration, civil penalties, derelict tap definition, increase in allowable use of shorts and special recreational bag limit.
Review and discussion of red drum stock assessment.
Review of Biscayne Bay Fishery Management Plan issues.
Financial report.
Legislative report.
Executive director’s report.
Presentations by the public.
Commission exchange.
Time and place of next regular meeting.
Commission Meeting News Index
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