05-02-2008, 08:16 PM
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) proposed two changes to its stone crab management rules during a public meeting in Tallahassee on Thursday. A final public hearing on these rule proposals will take place during the June 11-12 FWC meeting in Dania Beach.
The Stone Crab Advisory Board was created by an FWC rule in 2003 to advise the Commission about the operation of the stone crab trap limitation program and any problems in the fishery. The FWC is proposing to continue the board until July 1, 2011, to give it time to resolve on-going issues in the fishery, including how to reduce the excessive number of trap certificates in the commercial stone crab fishery and remove and dispose of derelict stone crab traps.
The FWC is also proposing to allow the use of 16-gauge, or thinner, staples to secure stone crab trap tie-down lids or the panel on wire stone crab traps. This is consistent with current rules for blue crab traps.
The Stone Crab Advisory Board was created by an FWC rule in 2003 to advise the Commission about the operation of the stone crab trap limitation program and any problems in the fishery. The FWC is proposing to continue the board until July 1, 2011, to give it time to resolve on-going issues in the fishery, including how to reduce the excessive number of trap certificates in the commercial stone crab fishery and remove and dispose of derelict stone crab traps.
The FWC is also proposing to allow the use of 16-gauge, or thinner, staples to secure stone crab trap tie-down lids or the panel on wire stone crab traps. This is consistent with current rules for blue crab traps.