SHOULD CEDAR KEY FISHERS REJOICE AT PLANS TO DOUBLE BAG LIMITS FOR RED DRUM? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) currently is considering a proposal to double daily bag limits for red drum (redfish), from 1 to 2 fish. If you are a Cedar Key fisher, you should think carefully about whether this is really good for us, for two reasons. First, FWC stock assessments show the "escapement" (percentage of young red drum that survive to join the spawning stock) is high in our region, above their 40% management target. But their estimates also show that the escapement percentage has been declining for the past several years and is now approaching and may soon drop below the target. Further, FWC estimates of releases (and mortality) of undersize fish have been growing. Given these trends, careful consideration should be given before allowing higher catches. Second, you should not assume that your fishing will get better if the bag limit is increased. Cedar Key red drum reach legal size over the summer and fall before their second birthday and we rapidly harvest those fish during this time. With a higher bag limit, that depletion will occur faster, so good fall catches will be harder to find and fewer fish will survive to 25+ inch size fish the next spring and summer. That is certainly not good for those of us that are happy to take a fish home to eat but also enjoy good catches. Recreational fishing is a vital industry to Cedar Key and we encourage FWC to engage the recreational fishing community to address FWC identified data needs such as information on size and age of angler caught fish before implementing a regulation change. To learn more about the FWC proposal, see http://myfwc.com/docs/CommissionMeetings/2010/2010_Sep_RedDrum_presentation.pdf and http://research.myfwc.com/engine/download_redirection_process.asp?file=Regional_analysis_of_Florida_red_drum_final__2.pdf&objid=35374&dltype=article To let FWC know what you think about the proposed rule change attend a workshop listed here http://myfwc.com/NEWSROOM/10/statewide/News_10_X_RedDrumWkshops1.htm or email them your comments at marine@myfwc.com Sincerely, Bill Pine and Carl Walters (Editor`s note: Bill Pine and Carl Walters both are fisheries biologists, recreational fishermen and part time residents of Cedar Key.) | 