On February 8, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will discuss possible changes to Florida’s redfish regulations. CCA Florida is providing recommendations for additional protection.
“We are urging that the Commission adopt a 40 percent escapement resource management goal and we are recommending new conservation regulations to achieve that goal,” said Ted Forsgren, CCA Florida Executive Director.

For many years, redfish have been a major issue with CCA Florida and its members. In 1988, CCA Florida led the successful campaign to prohibit commercial sale of redfish and make it a gamefish. It was the first fish taken off the commercial market since snook in the 1950’s. At the same time major new restrictions were approved for recreational take of redfish. Gamefish status and the additional protection measures have resulted in major increases in size and abundance, making redfish one of Florida’s premier gamefish.

Currently, FWC resource management goals for other fisheries are a 40 percent SPR (spawning potential ratio) for snook, 35 percent SPR for spotted seatrout and 35 percent SPR for mullet. The escapement goal, under which redfish are managed, equals the percentage of redfish that grow to be adults and leave the inshore waters to join the offshore breeding schools. Escapement as a goal is comparable to SPR for the species making the resource management goal recommended by CCA for redfish similar to snook, Florida’s other premier gamefish.

“To reach the 40 percent goal, we are recommending that the slot size be changed from the current 18-27 inches to 21-27 inches and that the month of October be limited to catch and release only and closed to direct take,” said Forsgren. “Those regulations would achieve the resource goals we are seeking resulting in a 45 percent escapement on the Atlantic and a 40 percent escapement on the Gulf.”
The FWC staff has recommended a change in the redfish slot size from 18-27 inches to 20-26 inches, a one fish bag limit and no closed months. The Commission will discuss the recommendations of the FWC staff, CCA Florida and others and decide what changes to make.

The existing redfish regulations have been in place for more than 10 years. During that time there has been a substantial increase in the amount of fishing effort directed at redfish. The FWC has indicated that the number of fishing trips for redfish has increased tremendously on both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. On the Gulf Coast from 1988 to 2003 they estimated a five-fold increase from 0.5 million trips per year to 2.5 million trips per year. The Atlantic Coast has also seen a five-fold increase in redfish trips.

“Florida’s redfish management program is a huge success,” said Forsgren. “We need to be sure that protection measures keep up with the growing fishing effort directed at redfish so we can maintain this great fishery.”