17897002, 68B-14.0035 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

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Notice: 17897002

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Marine Fisheries

Chapter:

REEF FISH

Overview

RULE:

68B-14.0035	Size Limits: Amberjacks, Black Sea Bass, Gray Triggerfish, Grouper, Hogfish, Red Porgy, Snapper
68B-14.00355	Size Limits for Importation and Sale
68B-14.0036	Recreational Bag Limits: Snapper, Grouper, Hogfish, Black Sea Bass, Red Porgy, Amberjacks, Tilefish, Exception, Wholesale/Retail Purchase Exemption
68B-14.0045	Commercial Harvest Requirements; Licenses, Season Closures, Bag and Trip Limits

PURPOSE:

The Commission is considering changes to rules for mutton snapper that would increase the minimum size limits, reduce the recreational bag limit, establish a year-round Atlantic commercial trip limit, reduce the Atlantic commercial trip limit during the spawning season, and remove the spawning season commercial trip limit in Gulf state waters.

In the U.S., mutton snapper harvest occurs almost exclusively off the coast of Florida, in both state and federal waters.  The purpose of this rule is to address stakeholder concerns and avoid future federal quota overages and closures.  In recent years, members of the public have requested proactive management actions to protect mutton snapper from potential overharvest, particularly during the spawning season.  

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute’s recent assessment of the mutton snapper stock determined it is not overfished or undergoing overfishing, but it is smaller than indicated by previous assessments.  Due to the smaller population estimate, the South Atlantic and Gulf federal fishery management councils will be reducing federal quotas for mutton snapper harvest.  If future landings are similar to those in recent years, a harvest reduction is necessary to prevent a quota closure of the Atlantic recreational mutton snapper fishery in federal waters.  The Atlantic commercial and Gulf commercial and recreational mutton snapper fisheries are not expected to exceed their proposed federal quotas as long as harvest does not expand beyond recent landings.

The effect of the proposed rules would be an overall reduction in recreational and commercial harvest through changes in size limits, bag limits, and trip limits.  The changes are also expected to prevent federal quota closures.  Removal of the spawning season trip limit for the Gulf commercial mutton snapper fishery would create consistency between state and federal regulations, with minimal impacts to the stock or fishery because landings from Gulf state waters make up 4% of all state and federal commercial mutton snapper landings in Florida.

SUMMARY:

These proposed rules would increase the recreational, commercial, importation, and sale minimum size limits from 16 to 18 inches total length.  They would reduce the recreational bag limit for mutton snapper from 10 to three fish within the 10-fish snapper aggregate bag limit.  The proposed rules would replace the May through June commercial harvest limit of 10 fish per person per day in all state waters with a three-fish per person per day limit applicable in Atlantic state waters from April through June, and establish a 500-pound commercial trip limit in Atlantic state waters from July through March.  The proposed rules would remove the commercial trip limit from May through June in Gulf state waters to create consistency with regulations in Gulf federal waters.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

8/17/2016 Vol. 42/160

COMMENTS:

From 8/17/2016 To 9/7/2016 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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