News Release
Tuesday, May 01, 2018
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) needs your input on the recreational and commercial stone crab and blue crab fisheries and the commercial spiny lobster trap fishery. Share your feedback on potential regulation changes for this fishery.
The FWC is hosting public workshops throughout the state in May to develop a better understanding of the public’s view on management of these fisheries. Stone crab and blue crab will be discussed at all eight workshops. Spiny lobster, in addition to the other two fisheries, will be discussed at workshops in Key West, Key Colony Beach and Dania Beach.
Potential regulation changes being discussed include requiring all recreational stone and blue crab traps have an FWC-issued tag number affixed to the trap. Several potential regulation changes for the commercial fishery will also be discussed including standardizing management measures across the fisheries.
Workshops will be from 6 to 8 p.m. local time:
- May 7: Titusville, Brevard County Central Services, Brevard Room, 518 S. Palm Ave.
- May 8: St. Petersburg, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 Eighth Ave. SE.
- May 9: Crystal River, City Hall Council Chambers, 123 NW Highway 19.
- May 10: Steinhatchee, Community Center, 1013 Riverside Drive.
- May 14: Key Colony Beach, City Hall, 600 W. Ocean Drive.
- May 15: Key West, Monroe County Gato Building, 1100 Simonton St.
- May 21: Dania Beach, Dania Lions Club, 501 SW Fourth Ave.
- May 22: Fort Myers, Joseph P. D’Alessandro Office Complex, Room 165 C&D, 2295 Victoria Ave.
If you cannot attend an in-person meeting, submit comments online by visiting MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments. Additional details and updates for these meetings will be posted at MyFWC.com/Fishing (click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Rulemaking” and “Workshops”).
