Courtesy photos. At far left, the stages at which an armadillo goes into its protective mode. Smaller photo, the typical image people have of armadillos are the dead ones run over by motorists.
To most folks, an armadillo is a small dead animal lying adjacent to or in the middle of nearly every road in the state of Florida. Of all the 20 species of armadillos only one makes the U.S. its home: The nine–banded armadillo has a range from South Carolina to Florida in the east and to the north commonly to Nebraska.
Due to the lack of common predators, there have been scattered reports of armadillos as far north as Indiana and Illinois. Armadillo is Spanish, which means “little armored one”, referring to its bony, leather-like plates that cover its head, back, legs, and tail. Armadillos are the only living mammals wearing such shells.
Armadillos are related to the sloth and anteaters having a pointed snout and small eyes. Contrary to popular belief, not all armadillos can encase themselves in their shells. In reality, only the three-banded armadillo in South America can do such by curling its head and back feet and contouring its shell into a hard ball that confuses potential predators. They live in temperate and tropical habitats including rain forests, semi-deserts, and grasslands. Because of their low metabolic rate and their inability to store fat they tolerate cold temperatures poorly. Significant cold can wipe out entire colonies of these animals.
Armadillos dig burrows and sleep up to 16 hours a day. They forage early in the morning and evening on beetles, termite, ants and other insects. Their eyesight is poor but they have a strong sense of smell, which they use to hunt. They have strong legs and large front claws that they use for digging and long sticky tongues for extracting ants and termites from their tunnels. In addition to bugs and insects, armadillos feed upon small vertebrates, plants, some fruits and, on occasion, carrion.
Armadillos are quite fast moving and are difficult to catch. While population numbers of nearly all species of armadillos are threatened by habitat loss and over-hunting, Many cultures consume armadillo flesh, which is described as being similar to pork in flavor and texture. Currently only the nine-banded armadillo population is expanding while some species, including the pink fairy armadillo, are endangered.
Fishing report
On the piers and in the surf of the Atlantic, anglers are catching some redfish and whiting. There are also occasional; reports of bluefish and small shark. The action has been hot and cold. This is probably due to the mullet run which should reach its full peak by the end of the month. In the inlet, there have been bull redfish, a few tarpon, and some sharks being caught. Some legal size gray snapper have also been reported as well as a few flounder.
Offshore there are reports of many boats limiting out on genuine red snapper – in direct contrast to what the SAMFC statement that there is a shortage of them. Seems to me that the organization ought to develop some other scientific means of determining what the true status of the snapper and grouper fisheries are.
In the lagoon it has been catches of redfish in schools mainly on cut mullet. Several large trout, one reaching twenty-nine inches and weighing nine pounds was caught near Haulover canal. The best bait is live fingerling mullet.
Balls of mullet have been observed in the Halifax and Indian rivers. The redfish and trout have been as well as the tarpon have been feeding on them. Up in the Tomoka area the snook bite on live shrimp is still active.
Battle of the Badges fishing tournament smaller this year
Fall is officially here but we should start seeing cooler weather probably by the middle of October. The Battle of the Badges was smaller this year and was a one-day event on Saturday with a Captain’s meeting Friday night. The mid-coast chapter of Florida- CCA again held a children’s fishing clinic, which taught them how to identify fish, safety, rules and regulations, how to cast, and other subjects. After attending the teaching, each child was given a rod and reel and a small tackle box. In all, nearly three hundred children attended the clinic. The whole event was a huge success. One commercial fisherman chose to come to the event and complain about the net ban passed years ago. He had taken up long-lining and had been quite successful. He had some interesting pictures. To me, I was impressed that he had the initiative to get out on the water and take up a different type of fishing rather than sitting and lamenting about the closure of a fishery that was wiping out the Florida redfish population.
Other fishing tournaments
# The annual New Smyrna Beach Billfish Invitational tournament is at the Brannon Center on Oct. 8-11. For information, please call Captain John Zeller at 386- 290-4181.
# The annual Hunt for Redfish Tournament – an charity event benefiting Alzheimer’s – is scheduled to take place on November 4-8. Anglers can wade, kayak, and flyfish in this tournament. More details can be learned by contacting the Mid-Coast Flyfishing club.
FWC news and events
# The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) is meeting in December in Clewston. The FWC is considering banning the catching of sandbar, Caribbean sharpnose and silky sharks. The rule will also prohibit finning or beheading sharks at sea. They are also considering making a 54 inch minimum length to the fork for all sharks except for the Atlantic sharpnose, bonnet head, fine tooth, black tip and black nose sharks and also the smooth dogfish. For more detail go to myfwc.com.
# The FWC emphasizes that the brief summary of regulations governing the taking of saltwater species in Florida for personal use is not intended, or designed to provide specific information on commercial harvesting of these species. The failure to include complete laws, rules, and regulations in this summary does not relieve persons from abiding by those laws, rules or regulations. State waters extend to 3 nautical miles on the Atlantic and 9 nautical miles on the Gulf. Federal rules apply beyond state waters. For species that do not have an established bag limit, more than 100 pounds or 2 fish per person, per day (whichever is greater), is considered commercial quantities. A saltwater products license and commercial vessel registration is required to harvest commercial quantities of unregulated species.
# FWC Officer Don Meurlot received information and photos of a 12-point buck deer (in velvet) that had possibly been shot and killed out of season in Volusia County. Further investigation resulted in names and addresses of those possibly involved. An adult female, who may have been involved, was interviewed by Officers Jeff Gier and Pat Conn. She provided additional information concerning the adult male who had killed the deer. The man was located at a residence later the same evening and was interviewed by Officers Meurlot and Gier. He admitted to killing the deer in July by bow and arrow and voluntarily provided the deer’s antlers and the remaining frozen meat which were taken as evidence. All criminal charges have been submitted by Officer Meurlot to the States Attorney’s Office.
National Marine Fisheries service news
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), issued a final rule to designate critical habitat for the U.S. distinct population segment (DPS) of smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), which was listed as endangered on April 1, 2003, under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The critical habitat consists of two units: the Charlotte Harbor Estuary Unit, which comprises approximately 221,459 acres of coastal habitat; and the Ten Thousand Islands/Everglades Unit (TTI/E), which comprises approximately 619,013 acres of coastal habitat. The two units are located along the southwestern coast of Florida between Charlotte Harbor and Florida Bay. This rule becomes effective October 2, 2009. The final rule, Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, and Final 4(b)(2) Report used in preparation of this final rule, as well as comments and information received, are available on the NMFS Web site at http://www.sero.noaa.gov/ , or http://www.regulations.gov , or by contacting the National Marine Fisheries Service's Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue, South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. For further information, please contact: Shelley Norton, NMFS, Southeast Regional Office, at 727-824-5312; or Lisa Manning, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources, at 301-713-1401.
Florida red tide kept in check
Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was not detected in water samples collected this week alongshore between Volusia and Indian River counties or offshore of Broward County. Additional samples collected late last week offshore of Palm Beach County also contained no K. brevis. In the northwest coast Karenia brevis, was not detected in a water sample collected this week offshore of Wakulla County.
Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was not detected in water samples collected this week alongshore of Pinellas, Manatee, Charlotte, Lee, Collier and Monroe counties or offshore of Marathon in the Florida Keys (Monroe County). Two samples collected offshore of Pinellas County contained background levels of K. brevis. Two samples (out of 25) collected alongshore of Sarasota County contained background levels of K. brevis. Visit http://research.myfwc.com for the Florida Red Tide Current Status Report and select the statewide summary or a region of interest for more information and sampling details.
Anglers across the Sunshine State help gather information about Tarpon
Anglers from across the state are helping Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Biologists, the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), and the Mote Marine Libratory by gathering valuable information about Tarpon. Results from the Tarpon Guide Recapture Study yield insight into how tarpon can survive “catch and release” angling and how tarpon move throughout Florida’s waters. Biologists from the FWRI analyze DNA tarpon samples submitted by anglers. Each sample identifies a tarpon’s genetic “fingerprint” providing a unique and natural tag for that individual fish. Scientists compare new tarpon DNA samples with cataloged samples to determine if someone caught and sampled the tarpon previously. Using DNA as a tag is cost-effective, less-invasive way to identify individual tarpon.
Since the genetic code never changes, it is a permanent way to identify fish. The old method of tagging fish had the downside that they tended to break or dislodge. To date, angler have provided more than there thousand DNA samples. The biologists have recorded twenty-three recaptured tarpon from locations across the state including, the Keys, Miami, Boca Grande, Fort Myers, Tampa Bay, Sarasota and the Indian River Lagoon. Biologists welcome samples from tarpon regardless of where the fish was caught or its size. Anglers willing to participate in the study program can obtain n a free, easy-to-use tarpon DNA sampling kit by e-mailing Tarpongenetics@nyFWC.com or by calling 1-800-367-4461. Participating anglers will receive an annual newsletter with updates on the Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study as well as additional information about the specific fish they caught as such comes available. Anglers who submit a tarpon DNA sample to this program are entered into random drawings for ma variety of prizes. For more information on the Tarpon genetic Recapture Study, visit the web site -http://research.myFWC.com .
NOAA and fishing community forging better relationship
NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco recently announced her intentions to improve engagements with the recreational fishing community. The National Association of Charterboat Operators (NACO) applauded this latest effort to have an improved relationship between NOAA and the recreational fishing community which includes recreational for-hire charter fishing vessels.
Captain Bob Zales, II, the NACO president, was contacted by Sam Rauch, deputy assistant administrator for regulatory programs, NOAA prior to the official announcement and was told of the new initiative.
"We have had similar efforts in the past with outreach and summits but no real follow up", Capt. Zales said. "After discussion with the new NOAA Director of External Affairs, Andrew Winer, today, I am optimistic that the effort by Dr. Lubchenco and her staff will result in a new cooperative effort between the recreational for-hire sector and NOAA that will benefit the resource, our communities, and small family businesses far into the future."
NACO fully supports real science and sound social and economic decisions to properly manage our nation's natural marine resources. With 23 Board Members representing every coastal area plus the Great Lakes, NACO is the voice of the recreational for-hire sector in the United States. NACO is pleased with this latest approach for efforts to engage the recreational for-hire sector and look forward to working with the agency. Capt. Zales stated, "I told Sam Rauch and Andrew Winer that we appreciate this effort and look forward to the continued effort to work cooperatively with Dr. Lubchenco and her staff at NOAA."
Sea level 2 feet higher in mid-September
The Gulf Stream was identified as cause of sea level spike on Sept. 15. A surprising rise in sea levels along the United States' eastern shore this summer, which saw the ocean rise to as much as 2 feet higher than expected, was due to a weakened Gulf Stream and the early arrival of autumnal winds, according to a recent report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Typically, predicting the wax and wane of the ocean's tides is a simple process of calculating the gravitational influence of astronomical bodies like the moon, said Rich Edwing, a deputy director at NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services. However, this summer, shore residents began notifying NOAA of high seas, causing head-scratching among scientists. The spike only caused minor coastal flooding, inconveniencing some anglers and boaters. But scientists remain perplexed as to why the Gulf Stream, a strong current that typically ushers waters away from the East Coast, went awry.
"Why did the Gulf Stream slow down? Why did the fall wind pattern appear earlier?" Edwing said. "We don't have those answers"
Feedback sought on changes Florida permit regulations on commercial trip limits, etc.
The FWC has scheduled a series of public workshops regarding possible changes to the Florida Permit regulations. The FWC wants to hear what people think about establishing a commercial trip limit, extending state regulations for permit into federal waters, establishing a permit tagging program, eliminating the commercial sale and harvest of permit, and making permit a catch and release-only fishery. The Commission encourages anyone interested to attend the workshops, which will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the Vero Beach City Hall Council Chambers located at 1053 20th Place on Monday Sept. 28. This is the closest place to Volusia County. Other sites throughout the state are Dania, Key Colony Beach, St. Petersburg, and Fort Myers. Anyone requiring special accommodations to participate in the workshops should advise the FWC at least five days prior to the workshop by calling 850-488-6411. The sites and addresses of the other meetings will be available at that number also. If you are hearing or speech impaired, contact the FWC using the Florida Relay Service at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or 800-955-8770 (voice).
Obama administration pushing U.N. to relist Everglades National Park as endangered world site
The administration is pushing the United Nations to relist the Everglades National Park as an endangered world heritage site after the Bush-era Interior Department pulled the subtropical wetland from the list two years ago.
Everglades was "removed from the list without adequate consultation and without appropriate measures in place to evaluate the progress of our efforts to restore the ecosystem," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said last week in a letter to Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), an outspoken critic of the delisting. Salazar joined Nelson and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) last month on an airboat tour of the Everglades, a ritual for new Interior secretaries, who oversee the 1.5 million-acre park. In his June 16 letter, Salazar said he directed Interior officials at this week's U.N. World Heritage Committee meeting in Spain to discuss putting the Everglades back on the so-called danger list. "Although relisting the Park is not on the agenda ... we will work with the other countries to relist the Park at the earliest possible time and develop criteria by which we will be able to determine when the Park should be removed from the list," he wrote.
Nelson and other state and local officials were outraged when they discovered Todd Willens, the Bush administration's deputy assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, removed the park from the list in June 2007. Willens subsequently told a Senate panel that while it would take decades and billions of dollars to restore the "River of Grass," the U.N. committee had been satisfied that the United States was planning to take action. The United Nations maintains the danger list to help spark international efforts to save beleaguered world heritage sites. The mere prospect of a listing often incites rapid conservation action, the organization says.
After years of restoration efforts funded mostly by Florida, the massive state-federal Everglades restoration project has been galvanized this year by an influx of federal money. The project is slated to receive $279 million this year from congressional appropriations and federal stimulus funding, the largest one-year infusion of federal cash since the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan was enacted in 2000.
Attempts being made to jumpstart stalled climate bill
Environmentalists are trying to mount a counterattack over the stalled climate bill. In the latest battle cry. one of one of the nation's largest green groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), launched a one of the nation's largest green groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), launched a web site yesterday attacking the money connections between coalitions opposed to global warming legislation and big energy companies. That web site followed the creation of a polluter fraud citizen phone "tip line" by other green groups urging individuals to expose allegedly deceptive tactics by companies with a stake in the debate.
Last week, more than 60 organizations, ranging from the Sierra Club to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, joined forces to fight for passage of a greenhouse gas cap and punch back against what they called front groups working on behalf of polluters. The issue has been broiling since associations like the American Petroleum Institute helped fund "Energy Citizen" rallies across the country against congressional action on the issue.
"For a long time, the environmental movement allowed opponents to prosper," said Riley Dunlap, a professor of sociology at Oklahoma State University. "That appears to be changing."
Others say the expose-the-money tactics by environmentalists are nothing new, but are louder and broader because of the Internet and the intensity of climate negotiations in Congress.
The bigger question could be whether their strategies work amid a sea of well-funded critics and a population distracted by the issue of health care reform. Dunlap said that the advocacy push won't hurt the cause of environmentalists but won't necessarily help, either, considering that climate change is off the radar of many Americans and legislation is likely to be stymied in the Senate until next year. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which recently demanded that the federal government hold a trial questioning climate science or face a lawsuit, appears to be the next target of environmental wrath. Ties to coal carriers NRDC's new site, called "Fight Clean Energy Smears," debuts with a lengthy blog post about the financial ties of Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue to Union Pacific Railroad Co., a carrier that profits partially from transporting coal. Donahue sits on the board of directors of the company and holds millions of dollars in its stock, according to Pete Altman of NRDC. He said that creates a conflict of interest, considering that the chamber is supposed to represent a range of viewpoints, not just the fossil-fuel industry.
"One has to ask, what effect does his financial relationship with one of the nation's biggest coal haulers have on how he represents the chamber?" Altman said. In response to the suggestion that Donohue's decision making might be influenced by his financial holdings, U.S. Chamber of Commerce spokesman Eric Wohlschlegel said, "All of the chamber's policy decisions go through our policy committees. It's a democratic process." Another organization targeted by NRDC, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, said through spokeswoman Lisa Miller, "This type of posturing is to be expected as the Senate returns their focus to the climate debate."
The coalition came under fire earlier this year after one of its subcontractors, Bonner & Associates, sent forged letters to lawmakers criticizing climate legislation that passed in the House in June. In a questionable act of desperation, other critics took a harsher tone against the latest environmental push.
"The only thing they have left is going after groups to try and demonize them," said Marc Morano, a former Republican staff member in the U.S. Senate, who now operates a climate skeptic Web site called "Climate Depot."
"It's an act of desperation." said Frank Maisano, an energy specialist representing utilities, refiners and wind developers, adding that the environmental community risks hurting some of its own supporters in Congress by ignoring poll numbers showing that members of the public are skittish about the issue.
With Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) saying yesterday that action on a climate bill may not come until 2010, the crossfire could go on for a long time. Already, environmental groups are spending unprecedented amounts of money on advocacy, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In the first two quarters of 2009, green groups spent as much on lobbying as they did in the entire year of 2006. And that doesn't always count activities such as direct advertising and blogging.
"If the environmental lobby continues to spend in the second half of 2009 what it did during the first half, it'll realize a record year," said Dave Levinthal, of the center. NFI sounded off on the Greenpeace campaign.
Coast Guard deals with fire extinguisher issue
Recently, the USCG rendered a Safety Alert addressing a critical problem involving ANSUL - High Pressure Carbon Dioxide fire extinguishing systems (Coast Guard Approval number 162.038/7). The Coast Guard has become aware of several instances where this particular fire extinguishing system has discharged without human intentional or accidental involvement. The system manufacturer, ANSUL has identified the suspect CO2 cylinder valves as those having a date code between 10-07 and 06-08. This date code is located on a flat surface immediately above the threaded section which enters the cylinder and opposite the discharge outlet.
The Coast Guard strongly recommends that owners and operators who have ANSUL High Pressure Carbon Dioxide Systems onboard their vessels and others who may own, sell or service these systems carefully follow the instructions on the ANSUL Bulletin. This safety alert was provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material requirement.
Greenpeace 'ramping up' campaign to end overfishing of Alaska Pollock
On 9/16/2009 8:56:33 a.m. Steven Hedlund, Seafood Source editor , was quotds as saying “The National Fisheries Institute on Wednesday warned the media in an advisory that Greenpeace is once again ramping up its campaign demanding an end to overfishing of Alaska Pollock, the world’s largest whitefish fishery.“ Late last year, citing a National Marine Fisheries Service stock assessment, Greenpeace claimed that the Alaska Pollock population dropped 50 percent from 2007 to 2008. The environmental activist organization said that the Bering Sea ecosystem may be at risk of collapsing if the 2009 Bering Sea Pollock quota isn’t reduced.
After the campaign was launched, the quota was cut from 1 million metric tons in 2008 to an all-time low of 815,000 metric tons this year. Both NMFS and NFI refuted Greenpeace’s interpretation of the stock assessment and reiterated that the Alaska Pollock population is healthy. Additionally, Greenpeace aired TV ads in Alaska and Seattle featuring a fisherman dressed in yellow slickers standing on a roadside carrying a sign that read, “Unemployed. They over-fished Pollock.”
Fearing that Greenpeace is about to rekindle its campaign, NFI cautioned journalists to scrutinize Greenpeace’s “reckless speculation” and to contact NMFS biologists, who conducted the stock assessments and can put them in perspective, with questions. In its e-mail advisory, NFI listed the contact information for NMFS scientists Doug DeMaster, Jim Ianelli and Steve Murawski. NFI also included a chart with the biomass, acceptable biological catch and landings of Alaska Pollock from 1990 to 2009.
Climate change bill moving along
Last week, the House Commerce Committee approved H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), more commonly known as “Waxman-Markey” for the bill's authors. The legislation is the first major climate change and energy bill of its kind, seeking to cut greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, and about 80 percent by 2050, while promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Unfortunately, the original bill singled out “marine vessels” for an accelerated regulatory timeframe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an ambiguous term that would certainly create confusion at EPA. Many of us were concerned that the term “marine engines” and “marine vessel” unwisely altered the regulatory landscape and created a new category for all marine engines and vessels. (Marine has historically been regulated in the non-road category.) This change would have had negative and unpredictable regulatory consequences for the recreational marine industry.
Many worked with Congressmen to amend the draft bill to ensure that any new recreational marine engine and vessel regulations be done within the non-road category. While this is a huge success for the industry, Waxman-Markey has a long legislative road ahead before it clears the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Sea surfaces temperatures around the globe getting hotter
A new United Nations report, with key contributions from NOAA, found that 61 of the world's 64 large marine ecosystems show a significant increase in sea surface temperatures in the last 25 years, contributing to increasing fisheries catches in some areas and decreasing catches in others. Harvests in the Norwegian Sea, the Faroe Plateau and the Iceland Shelf are increasing due to the increase in zooplankton, a vital fish food, brought about by the warming waters. However, catches are declining in several European areas, including the North Sea, the Celtic Biscay Shelf and the Iberian Coastal.
According to the report, 70 percent of global fish stocks within large marine ecosystems are overexploited, reducing the availability of fish for food , which is especially critical off the coasts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, where fish is a major protein source. The U.N. report also said that an unprecedented volume of nitrogen effluent running into coastal waters is causing a greater frequency and extent of harmful algal blooms, oxygen depletion events and dead zones. During the algal blooms, small plankton consume excessive amounts of available dissolved oxygen, sink to the bottom and deprive fish and shellfish of the oxygen they need to survive.
Double-edged sword on fish nutrition report
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed a draft summary of published research and a benefit and risk assessment to provide the latest scientific information for consumers of commercial seafood in the United States. Fish provides protein, is low in saturated fat, and is rich in many micronutrients; it also can be a source of certain omega-3 fatty acids. However, fish can also contain methyl mercury, which has been linked to adverse health consequences. This assessment evaluates the impact of eating commercial fish on three human health endpoints: (1) neurodevelopment; (2) fatal coronary heart disease; and (3) fatal stroke. Along with the report, a second document is available: "Summary of Published Research on the Beneficial Effects of Fish Consumption and Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Certain Neurodevelopmental and Cardiovascular Endpoints." These secondary analyses include reports by the American Heart Association, the European Food Safety Authority, the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids, the World Health Organization and a previous investigation by the FDA.
Concerns about over-fishing grouper in Atlantic
Two press releases came from the FWC meeting recently that impact Florida Fishing Guides and recreational anglers. One concerns Atlantic Grouper and other reef fish protections. The other concerns Atlantic vermilion snapper. In the first one, the FWC proposed Atlantic grouper and reef fish protections.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recently proposed rules consistent with federal regulations to address overfishing of grouper in the Atlantic Ocean and help anglers protect Atlantic reef fish when they are released to the water. Stock assessments indicate that Atlantic gag, red and black grouper are undergoing overfishing, which means that fishing pressure is too high to be sustainable. Measures were recently implemented in Atlantic federal waters (beyond three miles from shore) to reduce the harvest of these species. Nine other kinds of shallow-water groupers were also included in this action to reduce the incidental catch and discard mortality of gag, red and black grouper.
The federal rules decrease the aggregate daily recreational bag limit for all Atlantic grouper from 5 fish to 3 fish per person, prohibit the captain and crew of for-hire vessels from retaining any species in the aggregate grouper bag limit, and allow anglers to keep no more than 1 gag or black grouper combined in the Atlantic. In addition, the federal rules prohibit all harvest of shallow-water groupers (including gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, coney, grasby, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper and tiger grouper) from Jan. 1 - April 30 in Atlantic waters. This spawning season closure applies to all recreational shallow-water grouper harvest and lengthens the previous 2-month closure to commercial grouper fishing in the Atlantic. The FWC is now proposing to apply the same regulations in Atlantic and Monroe County state waters to help speed the recovery and rebuilding process for Atlantic grouper and reduce the likelihood of harvest overruns and possible additional restrictions in federal waters.
The Commission is also proposing a federal consistency rule that would require dehooking tools to be aboard commercial and recreational vessels fishing for reef fish in Atlantic state waters. Dehooking tools are a proven way to limit the handling of fish and help increase the odds that fish will survive when they are released. I would not be surprised to see them also enforce the use of venting tools for release of deep water fish. Final public hearings on the proposed federal consistency rules for Atlantic grouper and dehooking tools will be held during the December FWC meeting in Clewiston.
In the second one, the FWC acts to improve Atlantic vermilion snapper fishing. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Thursday approved rules that are consistent with new federal regulations to reduce overfishing of vermilion snapper in the Atlantic Ocean and improve fishing for this popular species in the future. The latest update on the status of vermilion snapper in the Atlantic concluded that fishing pressure is too high to be sustainable. Consequently, regulations reducing the harvest of vermilion snapper by around 50 percent were recently implemented in Atlantic federal waters, which extend beyond three nautical miles from shore. The federal regulations reduced the recreational bag limit for vermilion snapper in Atlantic waters from 10 fish to 5 fish daily per person, prohibit the captain and crew of for-hire vessels from keeping Atlantic vermilion snapper, and prohibit all harvest of vermilion snapper in Atlantic waters from Nov. 1 - March 31.
The FWC decided to apply the same vermilion snapper regulations in Atlantic state waters (out to three nautical miles). "Matching Florida's rules with federal regulations will help speed the recovery of vermilion snapper stocks in the Atlantic so we can continue to have a healthy abundance of this species for anglers to enjoy in the years to come," said FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto. "This action may also help prevent harvest overruns that could delay recovery of Atlantic vermilion stocks and result in even greater federal harvest restrictions in the future." The FWC's new rules for vermilion snapper in Atlantic state waters take effect on Oct. 16.
Post Script
It has been written that “The fisherman who does not bait his hook will not catch a fish.” So whether you charter, ride a head boat, run your own vessel, stay in the river, surf, or fish from shore or a bridge, there are fish to be caught. Fishing is not a matter of life and death, it is so much more important than that.
Tight lines,
Capt. Budd