FWC gives more protection to bonefish
News Release
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Media contact: Lee Schlesinger, 850-487-0554
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission (FWC) approved rule amendments on Thursday to provide
more protection for bonefish, a premier saltwater game fish in
Florida.
"These rules bolster our management measures to
preserve bonefish so that Florida anglers and visitors can continue
to enjoy fishing for this terrific marine game fish," said FWC
Chairman Rodney Barreto.
The new rules include all bonefish species in the
FWC's bonefish management rules to help ensure that all bonefish in
Florida waters are protected, extend FWC bonefish regulations into
adjacent federal waters to aid enforcement and enhance bonefish
protection, and require that bonefish be landed in whole condition
to help officers in the field identify bonefish and aid in
enforcement of bag and size limits.
It has been illegal to commercially harvest and
sell bonefish in Florida since 1988, and a daily recreational bag
limit of one bonefish 18 inches or greater in fork length
applies. Bonefish may be taken by hook and line only.
The new bonefish rules take effect on July 1, and
the FWC will continue to work with stakeholders to further examine
the concept of making bonefish a catch-and-release fishery
only.
More information about bonefish is available online
in the Saltwater area of MyFWC.com/Fishing.
Persons with Disabilities