For immediate release: June 12, 2013
Contact: Amanda Nalley, 850-410-4943
FWC permanently waives license requirement for lionfish harvest
Temporary changes making it easier for divers to help control the lionfish population will be put into Florida rule soon.
At its June 12 meeting in Lakeland, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) adopted changes that will waive the recreational license requirement for divers harvesting lionfish using certain gear and exclude lionfish from the commercial and recreational bag limits, allowing people to take as many of the invasive fish as they can.
Prior to the change, recreational anglers could not catch more than 100 pounds of lionfish without being required to have a commercial license.
Specific gear that can be used to target lionfish without the requirement of a recreational license includes hand-held nets, pole spears, Hawaiian slings or any other spearing devices designed and marketed exclusively for lionfish.
An identical executive order was put into place in August 2012 and is set to expire Aug. 3. The newly adopted rule will take effect before the executive order expires, so there will be no lapse in the expanded permissions.
Lionfish are a nonnative, invasive species that negatively impact Florida’s native saltwater fish and wildlife. Currently, the most effective method of removing lionfish from Florida waters is by spearing or using a hand-held net. Removing the license requirements and bag limits will increase lionfish harvest opportunities.
For more on the proposal presented to Commissioners, visit MyFWC.com/Commission and click on “Commission Meetings.”
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6-year-old boy catches 100-pound tarpon like a pro
June 11, 2013
Reed did it all himself, hooking and fighting tarpon; fish was bigger than he
June 10, 2013 by David Strege – http://www.grindtv.com
A 6-year-old fisherman named Reed recently caught a fish of a lifetime—a 100-pound tarpon—and he fought the fish like a seasoned professional. When asked if he wanted to tighten the drag a little bit, the boy smartly responded, “No, then it might break the line.” Instead, Reed kept the fish in front of him, kept a tight line and brought it to the boat. He then managed to pose for photos with his monster tarpon, which was bigger than he. Cute and precious come to mind when you watch Reed catch and release this awesome fish:
As one YouTube commenter wrote, “Not too many 6-year-olds have caught a fish that big … more like not too many 36-year-olds have caught a fish that big.”
According to the poster, Joshua Jorgensen, aka BlacktipH Fishing and a friend of Reed’s family, they had just caught and released a huge hammerhead shark when they decided to go catch some tarpon, using mullet for bait.
When line started screaming off a fishing rod, Reed grabbed the rod, set the hook, and started fighting the monster tarpon.
“He did it all on his own,” Jorgensen assured.
“I was very impressed on how he handled and fought the tarpon. His tarpon weighed over 100 pounds!”
Deputy Joshua Gordon removed the bag from the deer’s head and snapped a photo of it, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said.
Florida deputies spotted an endangered Key Deer with a bag of Doritos over its head early Sunday.
Deputy Joshua Gordon removed the bag from the deer’s head and snapped a photo of it, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said.
Two deputies on patrol saw the deer in the Port Pine Heights Subdivision on No Name Road on Big Pine Key just after midnight, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Becky Herrin.
“It must have wanted that last chip in the bottom of the bag,” Herrin was quoted as saying by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Herrin added that the deer was calm as it waited for the deputies to come to it, and once the bag was taken off its head, it left.
The Key Deer can only be found in the Florida Keys and southern Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A study conducted in 2000 found the population to be between 700 to 800, with most of them living on Big Pine Key.
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*(Story courtesy of http://www.nbcmiami.com)
For immediate release: June 10, 2013
Contact: Karen Parker, 386-758-0525
Stolen pontoon boat creation results in charges for designers
It generated quite a bit of interest on the river, but a pontoon dock that was turned into a boat and retrofitted with a motor and Jeep cabin, was stolen.
Robert Lee Alvord (DOB 06/29/82) and Kenneth W. Rehberg (DOB 02/24/83), both of Branford, were charged with grand theft for stealing parts for their boat/dock Jeep special, which was created by installing a Jeep Cherokee chassis on a section of a pontoon dock, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers.
An alert had been sent out to FWC officers about the stolen pontoon dock, which had gone missing from a residence on the Santa Fe River several weeks ago. If the stolen property was located, officers were asked to contact the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office because the sheriff’s office was investigating the theft.
FWC Investigator Terrynce Bing realized he had conducted a boating safety inspection on the unique craft a few days prior to the alert being sent out. He had given a citation to the operator because the vessel was unregistered and was powered by an outboard motor. Bing checked out the description of the stolen dock in the alert and realized that the craft he had cited matched the distinguishing characteristics of the pilfered pontoon dock.
Bing contacted the two men, who admitted they had taken the dock. Alvord told Bing that his unique vessel was very popular on the river and had received plenty of comments.
The pontoon dock was valued between $400 and $600. The custom work was removed and the dock returned to the rightful owner in its original condition on June 1.
“This case is a great example of how the FWC and the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office work together to solve cases in the area,” said FWC Lt. Tim Kiss, Columbia County patrol supervisor.
Facebook photos of turkeys lead to charges
June 7, 2013
For immediate release: June 6, 2013
Contact: Karen Parker, 386-758-0525
Facebook photos of turkeys lead to charges
An anonymous complaint about Facebook photos showing multiple harvested wild turkeys ended with charges being filed against four men for various hunting violations.
Travis Clayton McFatter (DOB 03/24/86), Blake Dalton King (DOB 08/24/92), Zachary David Espenship (DOB 09/12/92, all of Lake City, and Dustin Wayne Parrish (DOB 10/15/86), of Lulu, were cited by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers.
The photographs showed McFatter and King posing with several freshly harvested turkeys and McFatter also posing with a dead alligator.
FWC investigators interviewed the two men. McFatter admitted to investigators that he had killed five turkeys during the season, as well as taking two birds in one day. The legal daily bag limit is one turkey and the season bag limit is two birds. One of the photos McFatter had posted showed three harvested gobblers. He received that photo from his cousin, Parrish, but didn’t know the details about the birds.
“Mr. McFatter also explained he picked up the road-killed alligator near his house,” said FWC Investigator Todd Hoyle. “He took the gator home, snapped a few photos and ate the meat.”
McFatter was charged with taking over the daily bag limit for turkeys, three counts of taking over the season limit of two turkeys and possession of an untagged alligator. He was also given two noncriminal citations for no hunting license and no turkey stamp.
During his interview with investigators, King admitted to killing four turkeys.
“Mr. King gave permission to search his truck and investigators found fresh blood in the bed and on the tailgate of his pickup,” Hoyle said. “He told us that he and his friend, Mr. Espenship, were headed home from their hunting club and saw a deer standing on the shoulder of the road. Mr. Espenship then shot the deer.”
Espenship admitted to killing the deer while it stood blinded by the headlights of the truck. He gave investigators four bags of deer meat and the.22-caliber Winchester rifle he used to kill the animal.
King was charged with two counts of taking over the season limit of wild turkey, taking deer out of season and taking deer at night by use of gun and light.
Espenship was charged with taking deer out of season and taking deer at night by use of gun and light.
When investigators interviewed Parrish, he admitted to taking three gobblers – two on the opening morning of spring turkey season and one bird on Easter morning. He was charged with taking over the daily bag limit and taking over the season bag limit.
In all, after a two-day investigation, a total of 13 misdemeanors and two infractions were issued by FWC officials.
“This is a great case and shows how our investigators and officers work together, as well as how important it is for us to follow up on complaints we receive,” said Capt. Martin Redmond, FWC area supervisor.
Would you and your sweetheart like to host an episode of an outdoor television show? Here’s your chance. Send an audition video by June 30, 2013.
Jon and Gina Brunson, hosts of the award winning Addicted to the Outdoors (ATTO) television show, are expanding their Addicted brand. They’re searching for a select few Addicted to the Outdoors Couples.
Addicted Couples is focused on shining a spotlight on family participation in the outdoors and on couples who make the outdoors more than a hobby – who make it a lifestyle.
Entering is easy. Just shoot a short video of four minutes or less with your mobile device or video camera. Introduce yourselves and show your on-camera personality and passion for hunting. Shoot indoors or out. The key is to let Jon and Gina get to know you. Post the unedited video to YouTube.com and share a link to the video with Jon and Gina no later than June 30, 2013.
The ATTO crew will review all submissions. Ten couples will be selected to interview with Jon and Gina via Skype.
One of Your Hunts Filmed for TV
That’s right, it’s lights, camera, action – and you’ll be the stars! Several couples’ hunts will be filmed with the intent of becoming a full-length episode of Addicted to the Outdoors for the 2014 television
season.
If you have what it takes to be an Addicted Couple, ATTO will send its award-winning professional production film crew to you. The crew will film one of the hunts you already have planned for the 2013 summer/fall hunting season.
From this launch deck, Jon and Gina believe they can build a national ATTO movement and potentially develop our next television series, Addicted to the Outdoors Couples.
Who Will Be Television’s Next Superstar Outdoor Hunting Couple?
It Could It Be You?
NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to the Recreational Red Snapper Season in the Gulf of Mexico
June 6, 2013
Below is a recent Southeast Fishery Bulletin announcing changes to the recreational red snapper season in the Gulf of Mexico.
June 5, 2013
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
727/824-5305, FAX 727/824-5308
FB13-047
NOAA Fisheries Announces Changes to the Recreational
Red Snapper Season in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf-Wide Season Set at 28 Days
Earlier this year, NOAA Fisheries published an emergency rule giving the agency the authority to adjust seasons off each Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) state based on whether their state-water seasons and bag limits were consistent with federal regulations. On May 31, 2013, the U.S. District Court in Brownsville, Texas, set aside that emergency rule.
As a result of this Court decision, the federal recreational red snapper season must be the same in federal waters off all five Gulf states. Considering the catches expected later in the year during the extended state-water seasons off Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, NOAA Fisheries projects the Gulf-wide federal recreational red snapper season can be 28 days long. Federal waters of the Gulf will close to recreational red snapper harvest at 12:01 a.m., June 29, 2013.
NOAA Fisheries reminds all federally permitted for-hire vessels that they must abide by the stricter federal regulations, and after the federal water closure, they will not be allowed to harvest and retain recreationally caught red snapper in open state waters.
For more information about how the season was calculated, please see the NOAA Fisheries 2013 Red Snapper Recreational Season Length Report.
About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico.
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Charlene Ponce
Public Information Officer
888-833-1844 ext. 229
New Record Mako?
June 4, 2013
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/newshound/2013/06/new-record-mako?src=SOC&dom=fb
Sharks don’t get much bigger than this!
Mesquite, Texas angler Jason Johnston caught what could be the new record mako shark just outside of the Los Angeles Harbor in California Monday morning. It took Johnston more than two hours to reel in the 1,323.5-pound, 11-foot long shark, a feat that he told CBS was extremely dangerous.
“It’s unreal. This thing is definitely a killing machine. Any wrong step, I could have gone out of the boat and down to the bottom of the ocean,” he said.
Johnston told reporters that his behemoth mako took out more than a quarter mile of line and jumped over 20 feet out of the water during the two-hour battle.
Johnston was fishing with Mako Matt’s and Breakaway Charters out of Huntington Beach and plans to go out with them again Tuesday. I doubt he’ll catch anything larger than he did Monday.
He has already donated his catch to science.
The all-tackle world record mako weighed 1,221 pounds and was caught in Chatham, Mass. in 2001.
Photo courtesy of New Fishall Bait Co.
BIG CATCH: Angler Recognition Program
June 4, 2013
(Click to enlarge)
On May 23 (the day after the June issue of Woods ‘N Water was sent to the printer) NOAA Fisheries announced a new final rule for Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper.
The new rule increases the 2013 quotas for commercial and recreational red snapper harvest and extends Florida’s red snapper season by five days in federal waters “because the population is growing.”
Florida’s federal red snapper season will now run fron June 1-26 instead of June 1-21 as was announced in May.
The overall red snapper quota will increase from 8.080 million pounds whole weight (2012) to 8.460 million pounds whole weight for 2013 — an increase of 380,000 lbs.
Recreational Season
The federal recreational season for Gulf of Mexico red snapper begins June 1, 2013 with a 2-fish bag limit.
The new increase in the overall quota translates into a slightly longer season than was announced last month for most anglers.
Anglers in Florida (26 days) and Texas (17 days) picked up five additional days to fish in federal waters, while the season was extended six more days (June 1-July 4) for Alabama and Mississippi (34 days total). Louisiana anglers saw their season increase from nine to 24 days (15 additional days), as the season changed from June 1-9 to June 1-24.
During development of the final rule, NOAA Fisheries re-calculated the projected 2013 red snapper recreational season lengths off each Gulf state using updated recreational landings data as well as new information from Louisiana and Texas to come up with the new dates.
The method for calculating the dates for the federal season for each state are available online at: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/red_snapper/documents/pdfs/2013_red_snapper_emergency_regs.pdf.
2013 Season Lengths
Mississippi and Alabama: In federal and state waters off Mississippi and Alabama – due to consistent regulations – the season will be 34 days and close on July 5, 2013, at 12:01 a.m. local time.
Florida: In federal waters off Florida – due to inconsistent regulations in state waters – the season will be 26 days and close on June 27, 2013 at 12:01 a.m., local time. Florida state waters are open June 1 – July 14, 2013, with a two-fish bag limit.
Texas: In federal waters off Texas – due to inconsistent state regulations – the season will be 17 days and close on June 18, 2013 at 12:01 a.m. local time. Texas state waters are open all year for recreational red snapper fishing with a four-fish bag limit.
Louisiana: In federal waters off Louisiana – due to inconsistent regulations – the season will be 24 days and close on June 25, 2013 at 12:01 a.m. local time. Louisiana state waters are open weekends only (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), March 23 – September 30, 2013, with a three-fish bag limit.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will review the 2013 red snapper population assessment during their June meeting in Pensacola, Florida.
The council may request an emergency rule to increase the quota again based on the new scientific information and request NOAA Fisheries to reopen the recreational season for red snapper later in the year.
“Well, once again the wonderful National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has once again changed the number of days we can fish in federal waters,” Capt. Bob Zales said.
“Apparently their staffs have re-run the numbers and determined all states will get more days. However, after next weeks SSC meeting, I assume we could see another shift, with more or less days,” Zales added.
“For those of you who have contacted your customers and told them they may not be able to catch red snapper after June 21, you can now call them back, so hopefully those who canceled trips will re-book. Apparently, businesses who are dependent on fisheries and families and anglers making plans to fish, must always be prepared to contact our customers to let them know what the status of the season because it can change daily. After all, apparently NMFS thinks being able to make plans to fish over a certain period is not really that important, nor is scheduling vacation time, booking hotels and planning around families’ schedules.
“I am sure employers will certainly be flexible for employees as they come back again and again asking to change their plans. The recent actions by NOAA Fisheries and how the NMFS continues to make their projections, continues to show that they do not have a clue as to how to manage or how it affects the public and businesses,” Zales said.
Gulf recreational red snapper season begins June 1
The 2013 Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season begins June 1 in state and federal waters.
This year’s state season is 44 days long and will be open through July 14 with the first day of the closure being July 15. The federal season off Florida will be 26 days long.
The state season was approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at its April 17 meeting in Tallahassee. State waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles in Gulf waters; federal waters extend beyond that line to 200 nautical miles.
State and federal regulations require all commercial fishers and recreational anglers fishing for any reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico to use circle hooks, venting tools and dehooking devices. In Gulf state and federal waters, the minimum size limit is 16 inches total length and the bag limit is two fish per person, per day, within a 10-fish snapper aggregate limit.
While the yearly quota for how many pounds of red snapper can be harvested has increased in recent years, the federal season length has gotten shorter over the past few years because of more fishing effort and larger fish, according to federal fishery managers.
The FWC Commission chose to go inconsistent with the 2013 federal season based on reports that the upcoming federal stock assessment would likely show red snapper populations are doing better than previously thought and reports from anglers that the fishery is improving.
More information about red snapper fishing is available online at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater,” “Recreational Regulations” and then “Gulf Red Snapper.”
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