Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Tables Fish Protections

Florida state fishery rulemakers have thrown a plan to create rules for what's a game fish and what's a sport fish back into the water.

"They began changing things and making exceptions," said Tom McLaughlin, a Boca Grande charter fishing captain who supported the concept.

"It was a little rushed and got a little confusing.... Then it started to cave in on itself," said McLaughlin, a former Tavernier resident.

After more than two hours of testimony and discussion, FWC board members directed agency staff to "look into creating some type of parameters specifically for bonefish and tarpon," said FWC spokeswoman Amanda Nalley.

Concerns that other species, such as sea trout or permit, could wind up as designated sport fish or game fish apparently doomed the plan.

"This was entirely about permit," McLaughlin said. "Basically, the only opposition came from divers who spearfish out of the Tampa area. They organized and got about 20 to 25 divers to show up in Orlando."

The rule reaching the FWC would have created a recognized sport-fish designation applied to species so economically valuable to the recreational economy that only catch-and-release fishing would be allowed.

LINK (via: Keys Net)