FWC wants to drastically change Flounder limits.

[DangDang]

Potential regulation changes

- Reduce recreational bag limit from 10 to 5 fish per person

- Increase minimum size limit from 12” to 14” (recreational and commercial)

- Establish a November closure (recreational and commercial)

-Establish a commercial vessel limit of 150 flounder when using allowable gear

-Extend all FWC flounder regulations into federal waters

Workshops scheduled for June 2 and 4

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?
COMMENT BELOW

Saltwater Public Comments

Saltwater Public Comments

myfwc.com

 

[Zeroed in]

I seen that yesterday on the fwc site.
Since you don't give the option for multiple options, I pick..
-Establish a commercial vessel limit of 150 flounder
-Establish a October thru February closure (recreational and commercial)
(- I added a couple months).

Buy hey, I'm a nobody as is most other rec. fishermen and they'll do whatever brings the most
money in, which will be to cater to the commercial people to get the restricted species permit money
per comm boat.
They're just blowing smoke giving us "choices", just so they can say they did.

You may want to post it on the Pensacolafishingforum.com

 

[DangDang]

I seen that yesterday on the fwc site.
Since you don't give the option for multiple options, I pick..
-Establish a commercial vessel limit of 150 flounder
-Establish a October thru February closure (recreational and commercial)
(- I added a couple months).

Buy hey, I'm a nobody as is most other rec. fishermen and they'll do whatever brings the most
money in, which will be to cater to the commercial people to get the restricted species permit money
per comm boat.
They're just blowing smoke giving us "choices", just so they can say they did.

You may want to post it on the Pensacolafishingforum.com

I tried to just keep the poll simple (first time) I like your closure time expansion idea. From all the past experiences I’ve seen with the FWC; you can fill an auditorium slam full of people against it, and they are going to pass whatever proposals they want. From the “endangered” Red Snapper, to the quota permit system, to the dog hunters losing hunting land.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Alabama already did this.

 

[FrommerStop]

I do not have enough information to make choices.

 

[LowRiderRed]

Alabama already did this.

Great. Now we're behind amabalA.

 

[Zeroed in]

I tried to just keep the poll simple (first time) I like your closure time expansion idea. From all the past experiences I’ve seen with the FWC; you can fill an auditorium slam full of people against it, and they are going to pass whatever proposals they want. From the “endangered” Red Snapper, to the quota permit system, to the dog hunters losing hunting land.

I don't see in adding 2" to a flounder, my god, you'd need a 14" measuring device before you gig it. So people will gig undersized flounder, then measure, then toss the undersized ones. So what have they accomplished? Nothing, but added to the decline.
I personally wouldn't be opposed to a 12 to 24 month complete closure. And until they move the shrimpers out of the bays, it's going to decline every year. Too much byproduct (Juvenile fish, including flounder) is slowly killing off most fish populations.
But hey, the all mighty dollar rules, right.

 

[FrommerStop]

I don't see in adding 2" to a flounder, my god, you'd need a 14" measuring device before you gig it. So people will gig undersized flounder, then measure, then toss the undersized ones. So what have they accomplished? Nothing, but added to the decline.
I personally wouldn't be opposed to a 12 to 24 month complete closure. And until they move the shrimpers out of the bays, it's going to decline every year. Too much byproduct (Juvenile fish, including flounder) is slowly killing off most fish populations.
But hey, the all mighty dollar rules, right.

Many have no idea just how destructive a shrimping boat is that works in shallow waters is. The bycatch is part of it and the other is they use what they were calling doors when I went on a boat that they drag on the bottom of the net. This certainly was not doing any good to the sea grass and bottom in general. Our bays and esepcially the wetlands connected to them are nurseries for sea food. I listened to one shrimper at a public meeting brag about how they helped out the water ways by keeling them clean.

All of the old timers use to brag about how good the bays were here at one time. There are still fish in them today, but not like it was and much of the sea grass is gone. Sea grass provides habitat for many species.
The Shrimpers do have a lobby, but I am not sure just how much money that all is. Anyway the shrimp from overseas shrimp farms is cheaper. I am not sure about the quality.