Friday, October 2, 2009

State wildlife officials heard an array of opinions on how to better manage the permit fishery during a workshop held in Key Colony Beach on Wednesday night.

The one common idea appeared to be extending state regulations for catching permit out into federal waters.

"A lot of people agree with extending the state regulations," said Jack Carlson.

Currently, a recreational fisherman is allowed to haul in six permit and pompano combined per day between 11 and 20 inches, with one fish over 20 inches allowed. They are not allowed to spear the fish. Commercial fishing vessels, with the proper license, are allowed to take an unlimited number of permit within the same size limit, with two fish over 20 inches allowed per boat. They, too, are not allowed to spear the fish in state waters.

Those regulations do not transfer over to federal waters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission can expand its fishing regulations into neighboring federal waters if federal fishery managers do not have their own rules.

For the past two years, the agency began considering extending its rules to federal waters -- and possibly prohibiting all fishing for permit during the species' spawning period. Spawning season runs from March to August, with the peak in May, June and July, fisheries biologist Jessica McCawley said.

At the workshop meeting, McCawley said the FWC currently has limited funds for studying permit.

"A closed season may not be the best way to protect permit, but extending state rules into federal waters could help," McCawley said.

Those in attendance at the meeting had differing opinions on how exactly to best manage the permit population. While some felt that permit should be recognized as strictly a catch and release sport fish, others felt that fishermen should be able to take at least one fish back to the dock, either to have it weighed for a potential world record or to eat.

"I'd hate to see people come down here and not be able to catch a fish," said Dave Sugar.

The proposed changes have stirred heated debate on spearfishing blogs. Lower Keys spear fisherman and underwater photographer Don DeMaria argued that a closed season during the spawning period for all permit fishing, except catch and release, would be good for the permit species.

"There should be no retention of permit during the spawn no matter what type of fishing," DeMaria said.

McCawley said a draft rule related to the permit is expected to be drawn up for discussion at the Dec. 10 FWC meeting in Clewiston.