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INTRODUCTION
Snook are one of the most popular and economically valuable recreational species in Florida. There has been a lot of recent debate about the current status of snook populations and whether additional restrictions are needed to protect snook stocks. We have reviewed and discussed a number of stock assessments, anecdotal observations, and opinions and a variety of fishery management changes.
We believe there is strong interest and concern for the snook fishery in Florida. Most importantly there is a need to develop much better and more defined objectives and goals for short and long term snook management. Additionally, there is a critical need for greatly improved snook stock assessments and other related snook research.
COMMENTS
· Scientific and anecdotal information indicates that there are large numbers of snook and overall abundance has continued to increase over the past 10 years. Over the last 3 years, catch data shows that angler catch per unit effort continues to increase while landings (take) remain about the same.
· The Florida Guides Association has conducted a survey of its members and has raised questions and concerns regarding the abundance of large snook, those greater than 34".
· The most recent available research and scientific information is inadequate, confusing, and unable to be used to clearly determine whether the spawning stock biomass ratio (SPR) and the number of large females in the stock is stable, slowly increasing or slowly declining from the point they were at 3 years ago.
· Snook in Florida are at the northern end of their temperature tolerance range and, thus, are vulnerable to significant damage from major freezes.
· The large snook are predominantly mature spawning females. Large females are capable of producing proportionally larger amounts of eggs. In other words, a 30 pound female produces substantially more eggs than 3 ten pound females.
· A bag limit reduction from two to one fish per day would appear to increase the SPR number by only two or three percentage points and would not necessarily reduce the number of large fish taken.
· The data for the most recent snook stock assessment was collected before the positive impacts of the net ban would have been reflected on snook populations. The removal of gill net by-kills and the great increases in mullet, a major snook prey species, will have significant positive impacts on Florida snook stocks.
· Snook is a superb gamefish and excellent eating fish. There is every reason to believe that fishing effort on snook will continue to increase in the future.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. First and foremost, the MFC should continue to work toward achieving and maintaining a high and protective spawning stock biomass ratio (SPR) goal.
2. The DEP and MFC should act immediately to expand and improve the quality and reliability of snook stock assessments and other snook research. Snook is one of Florida's most valuable fisheries and should be receiving much higher priorities for financial and other resources. The Legislature and the DEP should increase funding and/or reallocate more resources towards improving snook management.
3. The MFC, in conjunction with interested groups, should develop a Five Year Plan and Objectives for Florida's snook fishery. Such plan and objectives would determine whether snook stocks would be managed for a high abundance and catch and release fishery, a "trophy" fishery with many large fish, a fishery which maximizes yield for harvest in a slot size, or some combination of all of these. Most importantly, the new, improved stock assessments and research program would be specifically designed to determine whether the SPR and other management objectives are being met.
4. Based upon the improved assessments and research and the Five Year Plan and Objectives, the MFC should maintain or modify current snook fishing regulations and make any recommendations for legislative changes.
5. We believe that there is time to do all of this properly. The most recent snook stock assessments were completed prior to the implementation of the net ban amendment and there is no doubt that snook stocks will benefit tremendously from the elimination of gill nets and the major increases in mullet, baitfish and other prey (food chain) species. As such, we believe the net ban will provide sufficient positive impacts to allow the time to do a greatly improved, high quality, definitive snook management plan that will benefit snook stocks and snook anglers for many, many years.
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