NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

June 24, 1998

CONTACT: Mark A. Trainor (850) 488-4676

NEW CRAPPIE RULE TO TAKE EFFECT JULY 1

Beginning July 1, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will begin enforcing a new daily bag limit on black crappie (speckled perch).

The five-member Commission voted in March to establish a daily bag limit of 25 black crappie statewide. Previously, black crappie counted in the daily bag limit of 50 panfish, but under the new rule, anglers will be able to catch the daily limit of 25 crappie in addition to the daily limit of 50 panfish (bream).

Ed Moyer, FWC fisheries director said the new rule is the first step to building quality fishing lakes for black crappie. Reducing the bag limit will enable us to better manage black crappie populations by allocating the resource among more anglers.

New crappie restrictions on Lake Monroe, considered one of the top crappie lakes in the state, are expected to provide anglers with quality fishing because of the reduction in the bag limit and a 12-inch minimum size limit.

Moyer hopes this new approach to managing crappie will increase angler interest in high-quality crappie fishing.

In addition, the Commission eliminated the daily bag limit for chain and redfin pickerel.