Fowl Play
WKR
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2016
- Messages
- 855
If anyone wants a good read with their morning coffee, id urge you to start poking around some Florida fishing forums or Facebook groups. TLDR: A federal judge just ruled Florida’s takeover of the Atlantic Red Snapper fishery management was unconstitutional and HALTED the season literally 4 hours before it legally opened. Guys are on the water, charter captains have clients showing up this morning. It’s a fiasco. Just one of the news reports: https://www.news4jax.com/news/flori...-before-florida-anglers-set-to-hit-the-water/
Backstory, the Red Snapper fishery on the Gulf side of Florida has always been state managed. On the Atlantic side it has been federally managed. The gulf side has been having increasing multi-month long seasons as the population of Red Snapper grew, 2 fish per person per day, etc. The federally managed Atlantic side was literally a 2 day season , 1 fish per person, per day. Anglers and Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) were frustrated that the federal government was not adapting with the increased fish population — it got to the point where on most of the local fishing areas, all you would catch was Red Snapper, but you could not legally keep them. it’s been like this for over a decade.
Fast forward after a long legal journey. Florida, is finally able to take over the Atlantic side this year and posted the longest season ever on the Atlantic side — very similar dates to the gulf side. Season starting May 22nd.
Everyone’s happy, except for the commercial fisherman — who filed a motion with a federal judge as it might impact their quota. Nothing immediately came of that until last night.
So last night, the news breaks and all hell breaks loose online. Some good reads there. FWC literally posted this picture along with a somewhat cryptic message reminding anglers that although the Feds closed their waters, the season would remain in effect for Florida state waters and that all they will be checking is that anglers abide by the 2 fish per person, 20” size limit. But, red snapper are deep water fish. For most of the Atlantic side there are no keepable fish in state waters *wink wink*
Anyways, total cluster today. And I do think this battle has huge ramifications for the way states manage their resources as a whole. Will be very interesting to see how this all plays out.
Backstory, the Red Snapper fishery on the Gulf side of Florida has always been state managed. On the Atlantic side it has been federally managed. The gulf side has been having increasing multi-month long seasons as the population of Red Snapper grew, 2 fish per person per day, etc. The federally managed Atlantic side was literally a 2 day season , 1 fish per person, per day. Anglers and Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) were frustrated that the federal government was not adapting with the increased fish population — it got to the point where on most of the local fishing areas, all you would catch was Red Snapper, but you could not legally keep them. it’s been like this for over a decade.
Fast forward after a long legal journey. Florida, is finally able to take over the Atlantic side this year and posted the longest season ever on the Atlantic side — very similar dates to the gulf side. Season starting May 22nd.
Everyone’s happy, except for the commercial fisherman — who filed a motion with a federal judge as it might impact their quota. Nothing immediately came of that until last night.
So last night, the news breaks and all hell breaks loose online. Some good reads there. FWC literally posted this picture along with a somewhat cryptic message reminding anglers that although the Feds closed their waters, the season would remain in effect for Florida state waters and that all they will be checking is that anglers abide by the 2 fish per person, 20” size limit. But, red snapper are deep water fish. For most of the Atlantic side there are no keepable fish in state waters *wink wink*
Anyways, total cluster today. And I do think this battle has huge ramifications for the way states manage their resources as a whole. Will be very interesting to see how this all plays out.
