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1. CCA FLORIDA RECOMMENDATION
The Commission will consider a rule change to increase the current snook slot size of 26-34 inches to 27-35 inches. The proposal is designed to prevent any adverse impacts which could result from the new criteria for measuring fish.
CCA Florida recommends a stronger conservation measure for the proposed snook rule. The Commission should just increase the lower end of the slot by one inch and leave the upper end at 34 inches. That will address the new measurement rule issue and provide additional needed protection.
2. COMMENTS
· Snook are one of Florida's premier gamefish. For many years CCA Florida, as well as Florida's saltwater anglers and fishing guides have urged and endorsed strong conservation measures for snook. To protect this great gamefish the FWC has established a conservation-oriented resource measurement goal of 40% spawning potential ratio (SPR). Seatrout and mullet are managed for a 35% SPR resource goal. As a premier recreational fishery, snook should be managed for maximum abundance and larger fish rather than for maximum yield. A high protection standard is also warranted because snook are subjected to occasional severe mortality by early winter freezes. The FWC's 40% SPR resource goal must be maintained.
· The most recent FWC stock assessment, which was released in February, shows that the snook SPR values on both coasts are significantly below the 40% goal. East coast SPR values range from 25% to 26% and west coast values range from 26% to 32%.
· The Commission must take protective and precautionary positions in managing this important gamefish. The current stock assessment relies on information only through 2004. It does not include 2005, the year in which the west coast of Florida had the worst red tide in 30 years. The Commission needs to adopt additional conservation measures sooner rather than later.
· We recognize that the FWC has established a stakeholder group of anglers, guides and other interested parties who will meet this summer to discuss additional conservation measures which will provide more protection and bring the SPR value up to the 40% resource goal. However, it will be many months before additional measures are identified and it will be next year before the Commission considers additional snook rule changes.
· The CCA Florida recommendation of just increasing the lower end of the slot by one inch provides additional protection now. The SPR on the west coast would be increased by 7% and the SPR on the east coast would be increased by 5%.
3. CLOSING COMMENTS
We urge the Commission to act now to provide additional needed protection for snook by adopting the CCA Florida recommendation
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