Guides Gone Crazy

Tim Babich , Scot DeBruyn and Nick Clewlow fly fishing St Brandons.

Part 2

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)

Recovery bags reduce post-release impairments in bonefish

This study evaluates the effectiveness of retaining bonefish in recovery bags for reducing short-term locomotory impairment when subjected to angling-related stressors, and whether potential improvements in swimming ability translated to increased survival.

LINK (via:Journal of Experimental Biology and Ecology)

Feb SOTM Entry: Xmas Bone

Terri "the predator" Beatty hoists a nice island bone.

Friday Pin Up

Why are Florida Bay bonefish so scarce?

Eye on Miami blogger Gimleteye has a theory.

Bonefish, an iconic species that habituate the shallow water flats of South Florida, and their disappearance were subject of a recent Miami Herald report by outdoor writer Susan Cocking. The Herald report mentions scientists scratching their collective heads at the complex problem. Let's cut to the chase. I can explain why bonefish are so scarce in Florida Bay: people can't govern their impacts on the environment.

The blame rests with taxpayers, with voters who return incumbents to office who couldn't care less, but especially with billionaire oligarchs from Big Sugar who control levers of power in Tallahassee and the nation's capitol.

LINK (via: Eye on Miami)