FWC TAKES ACTION TO CONFORM IMPORTED REEF FISH SIZE LIMITS
September 5, 2002
Contact: Lee Schlesinger (850) 487-0554

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) today proposed rule changes to require that imported reef fishes must comply with Florida’s legal minimum size limits.  The new rule amendments, which received strong support from recreational, commercial and marine environmental groups, would also resolve inconsistencies between state and federal reef fish size limits.

Current rules prohibit the possession of snappers, groupers, and other reef fish species that do not conform to established size limits.  These rules are being enforced for domestically caught fish, however questions have arisen as to whether these provisions should be enforced for imported reef fishes, especially red grouper, yellowtail snapper and red snapper.

The origin of fish is difficult to determine once they arrive at a fish house or retail facility, which may create rule enforcement problems.  Importation of undersized fish also may provide a way for undersized domestic fish to be caught and marketed as imported fish.  The FWC’s proposed requirement that Florida’s minimum size limits apply to both domestic and imported reef fishes will help ensure compliance with legal size limits intended to preserve Florida’s reef fish populations.

Commission Chairman John Rood, of Jacksonville, said, “We believe that allowing the importation of undersized reef fish is unfair to Florida commercial fishermen who follow higher conservation standards than fishermen in other states or countries.”

All imported reef fish that are fresh or frozen and in a whole condition would be affected by the proposed action.  Imported reef fish fillets would not be affected as long as they are clearly identifiable as imports.

In addition, there are currently several inconsistencies between state and federal reef fish size limits, and the proposed rule amendments would resolve these differences.  However, certain reef fish size limit rules are different in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.  In these cases, the proposed rules would apply the least restrictive size limit for imported reef fish.

The proposed rules also:

• include a listing of minimum size limits for the import of 18 reef fish species

• reduce the minimum size limit of red snapper commercially harvested from Gulf state waters from 16 to 15 inches total length

• reduce the minimum size limit for all harvest of scamp from Gulf state waters from 20 inches to 16 inches total length

• delete the rule designation of red snapper and goliath grouper (formerly jewfish) as protected species – this provision is considered outdated and provides no additional protection for these species

• change the term “jewfish” to “goliath grouper” to reflect a change to the common name for this species

• reorganize and simplify various reef fish rule provisions

• change rule language regarding the possession of mutton snapper, red porgy and amberjack during commercial trips to correspond with federal regulations

• delete a provision pertaining to closure notices for state waters when adjacent federal waters close

The FWC will hold a final public hearing on these proposed reef fish rule changes in November.  The full text of the draft rule can be obtained by calling (850) 487-0554.
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