12-10-2013, 12:10 PM
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in conjunction with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, will host five workshops to gather public input on south Florida marine fisheries regulations and issues. All stakeholders are invited to share their concerns about south Florida fisheries management at the meeting.
The FWC manages marine fisheries in state waters, while the councils manage fisheries in south Florida federal waters.
The ecosystems and fishing communities that occur in south Florida are undoubtedly unique. Some south Florida species, such as yellowtail snapper, are rarely encountered elsewhere in Florida or the southeastern United States. However, many local fishing regulations are generalized and apply in state waters, federal waters from Texas to Florida in the Gulf of Mexico, or federal waters from North Carolina to Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. Often, a day-long fishing trip in south Florida will overlap between the Gulf and south Atlantic jurisdictions as well as state and federal waters. This makes marine fisheries management particularly complex in south Florida. In some cases, it means that fishermen in south Florida are subject to three different sets of regulations, depending on the species and where they are harvested and landed. These workshops are a beginning step into examining issues and fisheries management needs that are particular to south Florida.
Stakeholders can bring all concerns about south Florida fishery management issues to any of the following meetings, all of which are from 5 to 8 p.m. EDT:
â—¾July 29: Dania Beach, International Game Fish Association Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum, 300 Gulf Stream Way.<br />
â—¾July 30: Key Largo, Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Mile Marker 102.<br />
â—¾July 31: Key Colony Beach, City Hall, Auditorium, 600 W. Ocean Drive, Mile Marker 53.5.<br />
â—¾Aug. 1: Key West, Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave., 2nd floor.<br />
â—¾Aug. 5: Marco Island, Marriott Beach Resort, 400 S. Collier Blvd.
For questions or comments, please contact the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554 or Marine@MyFWC.com. For more information on workshops, go to MyFWC.com/Fishing and under "Saltwater Fishing" select "Rulemaking."
The FWC manages marine fisheries in state waters, while the councils manage fisheries in south Florida federal waters.
The ecosystems and fishing communities that occur in south Florida are undoubtedly unique. Some south Florida species, such as yellowtail snapper, are rarely encountered elsewhere in Florida or the southeastern United States. However, many local fishing regulations are generalized and apply in state waters, federal waters from Texas to Florida in the Gulf of Mexico, or federal waters from North Carolina to Florida in the Atlantic Ocean. Often, a day-long fishing trip in south Florida will overlap between the Gulf and south Atlantic jurisdictions as well as state and federal waters. This makes marine fisheries management particularly complex in south Florida. In some cases, it means that fishermen in south Florida are subject to three different sets of regulations, depending on the species and where they are harvested and landed. These workshops are a beginning step into examining issues and fisheries management needs that are particular to south Florida.
Stakeholders can bring all concerns about south Florida fishery management issues to any of the following meetings, all of which are from 5 to 8 p.m. EDT:
â—¾July 29: Dania Beach, International Game Fish Association Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum, 300 Gulf Stream Way.<br />
â—¾July 30: Key Largo, Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Mile Marker 102.<br />
â—¾July 31: Key Colony Beach, City Hall, Auditorium, 600 W. Ocean Drive, Mile Marker 53.5.<br />
â—¾Aug. 1: Key West, Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave., 2nd floor.<br />
â—¾Aug. 5: Marco Island, Marriott Beach Resort, 400 S. Collier Blvd.
For questions or comments, please contact the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554 or Marine@MyFWC.com. For more information on workshops, go to MyFWC.com/Fishing and under "Saltwater Fishing" select "Rulemaking."