FWC redfish changes

carolinablue2

rule hearing  At its July meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved new management regions and regulation changes for redfish in state waters following the final rule hearing.  These regulation changes, which go into effect Sept. 1, 2022, will: Establish nine redfish management regions. Prohibit captain and crew from retaining a bag limit of redfish when on a for-hire trip. Reduce the off-the-water transport limit from six to four fish per person. Reduce the vessel limit in each of the management regions to be: Panhandle, Big Bend, Northeast: four fish. Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast: two fish. Allow only catch-and-release fishing for redfish in the Indian River Lagoon region. Set the bag limit to one fish in the Panhandle, Big Bend, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Southwest, Southeast and Northeast regions.  This is a reduction to the bag limit in the Northeast region.  “With this new forward-thinking management approach, we’re trying to do what’s best for this fishery. This agency is committed to working proactively to conserve the redfish fishery in Florida for future generations while balancing stakeholder interests,” said FWC Commissioner Steven Hudson.  The changes to redfish management regions and regulations, as part of FWC’s new management approach, will better capture regional differences and improve angler satisfaction. The new management approach includes annual reviews of the redfish fishery and redfish regulations may be changed each year in response to the reviews.  For more information, including the July 2022 Commission meeting presentation, visitMyFWC.com/Commission and click on “Commission Meetings.”  For current recreational redfish regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Redfish.” This page will be updated with the new regulations when they ta

bswiv

With the quantity of fish species and the looming amazing shrimp season we are going to have here in the river.........plenty of other great stuff out there to C&C ( catch & cook ), as is the case all over the place if we'll just not focus on the status fish.

And if it has to be a red at the end of the line..........then there's C&R........which based on how excited folks get over tarpon and bonefish and big old freshwater bass is a perfectly acceptable win for a day on the water.

Seriously.....I feel some compassion for the Commission as they will get flack.......but as with so many other things in life.........if we husband and share we all ultimately win.

jgm

Agree.  We have been getting a variety including sheepshead croaker flounder redfish hybrids bass catfish mangroves snook ( to release).  I know the yellow mouth trout are there too.  Brim and specs.  So regardless of limit you can get fish for dinner and lunch the next day.  

osprey11

Respectfully disagree.    FWC had to fix it's one mistake of giving a resource back to the public.  What science shows redfish overfished?  The people of Florida fixed this with the net ban, not the FWC.  I personally  release them all.   

tag

Are redfish becoming the inshore version of the “endangered” red snapper?

troutdiggler

When they increased the limit to 2 fish per person, I was suspect of their intentions.  I personally did not think it was a great idea, and I was worried that the 2 fish bag limit was going to cause them to completely shut down the fishery after allowing it to go on for X number of years.  I'm fine with going back to 1 fish per person, just switch your tactics up after getting your redfish and bring home a nice mixed bag.

spangler

The only real problem I have with the new regs is 2 per boat.  I don't think that's fair to the third (or more) person on the boat with me.  Or if I'm the third on a friend's boat.  Otherwise I'm happy with the new regs as a guy who doesn't freeze fish.

Yet back on the other hand, I went to a workshop for this.  I was surprised during the presentation to hear that redfish populations (like snook) are not negatively impacted by red tides.  I asked why the C&R measures.  They said, and I quote, it was an emergency order.  They absolutely failed to see the contradiction....

or explain why it lasted 3 years here in tampa.....

reconspecialist

Not that it's matters but I dont think gfc/fwc is getting the correct/proper data on a lot of species before they make rule changes....its a political thing....