The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is organizing two public workshops to discuss proposed rule changes aimed at protecting bonefish in a pre-spawning aggregation site within Biscayne National Park. The sessions are scheduled for June 24 in Miami and June 25 in Homestead.
The workshop in Miami will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ET at the Kendall Branch Library, while the Homestead session is set for 6 to 8 p.m. ET at the UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County.
In May, the FWC proposed creating a seasonal closed area east of Elliott Key, covering 1.74 square miles inside Biscayne National Park. This proposal includes prohibiting hook-and-line fishing and possession of such gear from November through May to reduce catch-and-release mortality of bonefish and avoid spawning disruptions.
These workshops aim to gather input that will inform staff recommendations for final rules, which are expected to be presented to the Commission in August.
Additional details on these workshops can be found on FWC Marine Fisheries Workshops. Those unable to attend can submit their comments via the FWC Saltwater Public Comments page or by emailing Marine@MyFWC.com.
For further information about the proposed rule changes, interested parties can refer to the agenda of the Commission Meeting held on May 21-22 by visiting MyFWC.com/About and navigating to “The Commission” and “Commission Meetings.”
Questions or requests for more information can be directed to 850-487-0554 or Marine@MyFWC.com.
