Courtesy photo/Google. Contrary to popular belief, toads are not frogs.

While sometimes a term used by a woman to describe her husband with whom she is infuriated, the word “toad” refers to several species of amphibians in the order Anura.

Prompted by convergent adaptation (defined as the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages – e.g. wings are modified from limbs as is evidenced by their bone structure) -- toads are differentiated from frogs by their leathery brownish skin, which gives the toad better water retention.

Toads tend to burrow. However, these adaptations are not reliable indicators of its ancestry. There are multiple families of frogs. However, there is only one family, Bufonidae, exclusively given to the common named “toad”. Similar to frogs, toads also use metamorphosis to go from a tadpole to a sexually mature adult.

Fishing report: Inlet loaded with sharks and tarpon

Fishermen fishing the surf and on the piers are landing red drum, sheepshead, flounder, bluefish, and pompano. Quite a few mullet pods are moving through the surf southward for the winter. The inlet is loaded with sharks and tarpon as they feed on the abundance of bait – namely mullet.

In the Halifax River, especially around the bridges, snook and trout are being caught by using free-lined live shrimp and finger mullet. On the flats, red and black drum are being hooked on live as well as frozen shrimp. In the lagoon and in the Indian River, night fishing along the docks has been excellent. Top-water lures are catching redfish near Haulover canal. In the lagoon there are numerous reports of redfish but the terrific heat has led to only a few fish biting. Off shore catches of dolphin have been occurring in as little as 45 feet of water. This is not unusual at this time of the year. Spanish mackerel are plentiful. There have been several reports of multiple sailfish being caught.

New Smyrna Beach High School holding 'Fishing for 'Cudas' tournament

New Smyrna Beach High School is holding its inaugural “Fishing for Cudas” tournament for redfish, trout and Jack Crevalle on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009 at J.B.’s Fish Camp. Registration is $100 per boat and can be done at the web site for the high school.

Federal regulations for fishing of dolphin and wahoo

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) wants to remind fishermen there are several federal regulations regarding fishing for dolphin and wahoo in federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean (Maine through the east coast of Florida). Summary of requirements:

# Owners and operators of charter vessels, and head boats are required to have a federal vessel permit to fish for or possess dolphin and wahoo in the Atlantic Ocean.

# The vessel operator must have an operator card on board the vessel along with one other form of personal identification that includes a picture (driver license, passport, etc.). If you are the owner of a vessel needing a vessel permit and operator card to fish for dolphin and wahoo, please contact the Permits Branch at the address listed below:

NOAA Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office Permits Branch 263 13th Avenue South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 Phone: 727-824-5326; FAX: 727-551-5747

Coast Guard announces proposed rule

Proposed rule: Notice of Arrival on the Outer Continental Shelf would be required for owners and operators of United States flag and foreign flag floating facilities, mobile offshore drilling units and vessels. The U.S. Coast Guard announced the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register to enhance maritime domain safety and security awareness on units and personnel planning to engage in Outer Continental Shelf activities. The proposed rule begins the process of implementing section 109 of the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006. The rulemaking proposes that owners and operators of United States flag and foreign flag floating facilities, mobile offshore drilling units and vessels be required to submit notice of arrival information to the National Vessel Movement Center prior to engaging in Outer Continental Shelf activities.

Requiring owners or operators to submit notice of arrival information will provide the Coast Guard with knowledge of individuals and units engaging in Outer Continental Shelf activities and will better enable the Coast Guard to prevent and respond to safety or security incidents on the Outer Continental Shelf. The Coast Guard welcomes comments on this proposed rule, which may be found on the docket at http://www.regulations.gov, docket number: USCG-2008-1088. The Coast Guard will respond to comments received in the final rule.

Commerce announces new and returning fishing management members

The Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 30 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils – important partners with NOAA’s Fisheries Service in determining how ocean fisheries are managed. The South Atlantic Council includes members from the states of Florida (east coast), Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The appointees for 2009 fill obligatory seats for Florida and Georgia and two at-large seats. Obligatory Seats; Benjamin C. Hartig III (Fl) *Charles Duane Harris (Ga.) At-large Seats; Charles M. Phillips (GA.) *Benjamin M. “Mac” Currin (N.C.)

Manatee rescued

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute rescued a manatee in Shell Key Bay near Goodland in Southwest Florida on Tuesday. Staff from the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with citizen volunteers, helped FWC biologists and law enforcement officers pull the nearly 9-foot adult female manatee aboard the rescue boat. After the rescuers brought the manatee to shore, they transported it to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo for rehabilitation. Biologists rescued the animal because of visible watercraft-related injuries, including fresh wounds on the manatee’s right side. The manatee was listing to one side, which may indicate a punctured lung filled the body cavity with air. To report a dead or distressed manatee, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). For more information on manatee research, visit research.MyFWC.com/manatee.

FWC to make grouper rles consistent with federal regulations

At its last meeting after carefully considering testimony from several organizations and conservation groups associated with fishing, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has decided to make its grouper rules in state waters compatible with the Federal regulations to help rebuild Gulf gag grouper stocks and ensure quality fishing for this species in the future.

FWC Vice Chairperson Kathy Barco said: “it just makes sense to use the management approach that is tailored to work best for the recreational and commercial Gulf grouper fishing sectors.”

The new rules establish a Feb. 1 through March 31 closed-spawning season for all recreational harvest shallow-water groupers (gag, black, red, yellow-fin, scamp, yellow-mouth, rock hind, and red hind) in all Gulf state waters except for Monroe County, The rule is intended to limit the unintended catch and possible mortality of gag grouper by closing the recreational harvest of all similar shallow-water grouper species during the spawning season. The new rules also decrease the daily recreational aggregate bag limit for grouper from five fish to four fish per person in Gulf state waters except for Monroe County.

The daily recreational bag limit for gulf gag grouper is two fish per person within the aggregate limit and angler may also keep Gulf red grouper within this limit. Additionally the new rules reduce the commercial minimum size limit for Gulf red grouper to 18 inches from the previous twenty inch limit. This will still allow the harvest of marketable fish and significantly reduce the number of 18 to 20 inch red grouper that do not survive upon release.

Commercial Gulf grouper fishermen are also strictly regulated by reduced annual harvest limits and an important closed spawning season off the Big Bend coast of Florida.

The rules are now in effect.

Post Script:

It has been written: “Do not stick your finger into the mouth of a fish with teeth.” 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