New Reef Fish Gear Rules |
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The intent of these new rules is to help conserve fishery resources by minimizing mortality associated with releasing fish that are not going to be harvested due to regulations or for other reasons. Fishers and anglers are being asked to be responsible to acquire and use the required gear when fishing for reef fish species. FWC Law Enforcement Officers will be taking an educational approach toward enforcement before and after the implementation of the new rules.
The new rules require fishers on all vessels fishing for
reef fish in the Gulf to possess and use a dehooking device to remove hooks
embedded in Gulf reef fish with minimal damage. The dehooking
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New
rules for state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico
will require all commercial fishers and recreational anglers fishing for any
Gulf reef fish species to use circle hooks, dehooking devices and venting
tools. These new rules will become effective on June 1, 2008
in all waters of the Gulf of Mexico and affect all reef fish species
including groupers, snappers, amberjacks, triggerfish, porgies, sea bass,
hogfish, and tilefish.
Additionally,
common sense should be used in abiding by these rules. For instance, if a
hook is too far embedded in the throat or gut of the fish, it is much better
to cut the line from the hook rather than try to remove the hook with a
dehooking device. The non-stainless steel hooks will disintegrate in a
relatively short period of time and should cause the fish less harm. Also,
fish should only be vented after one or all of the following characteristics
are noticed on a fish: the stomach protrudes from the mouth, the eyes are
bulging, the belly region is swollen, or the intestines are sticking out of
the anus.
The
new rules require fishers on all vessels fishing for reef fish in the Gulf
to possess and use non-stainless steel circle hooks when natural baits are
used. A circle hook is a fishing hook designed and manufactured so that the
point is not offset, but turned perpendicularly back to the shank to form a
generally circular or oval shape.
device must be constructed to allow the hook to be secured and the barb
shielded without re-engaging during the removal process. It must be blunt
and all edges rounded, and it must be of a size appropriate to secure the
range of hook sizes and styles used in the Gulf reef fish fishery.
The
new rules require fishers on all vessels fishing for reef fish in the Gulf
to possess and use a venting tool to deflate the swimbladders of Gulf reef
fish to help release the fish with minimum damage. This tool must be a
sharpened, hollow instrument, such as a hypodermic syringe with the plunger
removed or a 16-gauge needle fixed to a hollow wooden dowel. A tool such as
a knife or an ice-pick may not be used. The venting tool must be inserted
into the fish at a 45-degree angle approximately 1 to 2 inches from the base
of the pectoral fin and be inserted just deep enough to release the gases so
that the fish may be released with minimum damage.