Tag Archives: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
Sources: Body found in St. Johns River near Buckman Bridge is missing crabber
According to a spokesperson for the FWC, the lead agency in the search, FWC and Clay County personnel recovered the body and took it to the Mulberry Cove Boat Ramp at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Authorities have not yet said if the body found in the river Thursday is 20-year-old Michael Vaughn III, of St. Augustine, who disappeared on the river last week. But a family friend told News4Jax it’s him. Vaughn had worked with his dad on a crab boat since he was 8 years old and took the lead role in the family business when his dad had to deal with medical issues. >click to read< 11:53
Fishermen protest chemical spraying in Lake Okeechobee
“As far as people go, it’s polluting the water. As far as animals go, it’s killing off the wildlife,” said Jim Watt, a former animal dealer. Fishermen and other lake locals say FWC chemical spraying is killing plants, animals, and their way of life. “They’re getting doused with this poison and they’re losing habitat and all the baitfish are sick, your birds, your catfish, all your other fish are eating this sick bait, living in this habitat with chemicals on it,” said Fisherman Eric Cassels. The FWC says all of the chemicals being sprayed are deemed safe, but people who spend all their time on the water disagree. photos, video, >click to read< 08:19
FWC tightens rules on use of certain stone crab traps
State fishery managers have removed a loophole that gave some unscrupulous commercial trap fishermen a leg up on fellow fishermen and had serious impact on the lucrative spiny lobster fishery, which is centered in the Florida Keys. Bycatch of lobster in stone crab traps has always occurred, and vice versa. But recent changes to both fisheries have created additional motivation for fishermen to shift their effort from targeting stone crab to lobster, the FWC biologists said. Read the rest here 08:32
Keys fishery issues back on tap
The ban and a lack of consistent fishing regulations among the major government fishery agencies that have jurisdiction in Keys waters has led to the formation of a committee to look at South Florida fishing regulations. The committee — which is comprised of members from South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management councils and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) — will meet for three days in Key West starting Jan. 13 Read the rest here 10:18
FWC biologists: Lobster casitas too problematic
“We’re done,” said marine salver John Coffin, who has worked with other commercial divers to legalize casitas. “I really feel betrayed by (FWC) staff. The biology is good. They didn’t want the headaches. Nobody wants the headaches. … Read the rest here 08:30
Outdoors: Gill netting again is ruled illegal, but don’t believe the net controversy is over
But don’t believe that, because the attempts over the years to overturn the net ban law show how commercial groups are unrelenting in their zeal to cash in for quick profits at the public resource trough. Any minor technicality in the net ban law will be tirelessly chipped away at by commercial interests through the courts. If nothing else the fall ruling by Leon County Judge Jackie Fulford (who was up for re-election) shows the mind-set of commercial netting interests. Read more here 20:02:
Ghost traps major problem in the Keys – Bill Kelly says there would be a lot of fishermen out of business
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) fisheries biologist Tom Matthews and other scientists found that 85,000 spiny lobster ghost traps which have lost their buoys, and more than 1 million pieces of traps and fishing gear junk,, Bill Kelly, executive director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association, contends the trap loss estimates are too high. Read more here keysnews.com 06:58
