Saving Seafood

FLORIDA: Gulf County scallop season could be shut down this season

April 28, 2016 — GULF COUNTY, Fla. — Scalloping is a major part of the tourism economy in Gulf County, but this year they may have to do without.

The culprit is red tide. Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission say in the 18 years they’ve been monitoring scallops, they’ve never had to cancel the season. This year it’s looking like it may come to that.

“Most people like doing it because it’s an underwater Easter egg hunt and it’s just a great way to spend the day,” said Local Dusty May.

On Wednesday, the FWC held a meeting to discuss whether to cancel the scalloping season all together.

“Bay scallops were negatively impacted by the red tide that came last year,” said Amanda Nalley, Spokesperson for FWC. “It did come during a time that was very important to scallops. It was during the spawning season and when larva was in the water, so that is why the scallop population was affected.”

Read the full story at NBC Gulf County

FLORIDA: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission could close scallops in St. Joe Bay for 2 years

April 27, 2016 — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering closing scallop season for two years. The issue will be discussed at a meeting tonight.

“Scientific monitoring of bay scallops in St. Joseph Bay indicates that the bay scallop population has declined severely due to impacts of red tide. As a result, the bay scallop population is too low to sustain and recover from an open season for scalloping this summer,” officials wrote in a news release. “To help ensure the bay scallop population can recover as quickly as possible, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is making arrangements to cancel the 2016 harvest season in state waters west of St. Vincent Island including St. Joseph Bay.”

Read the full story at myPanhandle.com

NOAA Announces Modifications to Gag, Black Grouper Regs in Gulf of Mexico

April 27, 2016 — NOAA Fisheries Announces Modifications to Gag and Black Grouper Recreational Management Measures in the Gulf of Mexico

Small Entity Compliance Guide

NOAA Fisheries has published a final rule changing gag and black grouper recreational management measures in the Gulf of Mexico. These changes include:

  • An increase in the gag recreational minimum size limit from 22 inches total length to 24 inches total length.
  • An increase in the black grouper recreational minimum size limit from 22 inches total length to 24 inches total length.
  • A lengthening of the gag recreational fishing season from July 1 – December 2, to June 1 – December 31.

Need for Action:
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has chosen to increase the recreational minimum size limits for gag and black grouper from 22 inches total length to 24 inches total length. This increase is expected to provide more opportunity for gag and black grouper to mature before entering the fishery, and creates consistent recreational size regulations with those developed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and State of Florida for gag and black grouper.

Read the full story at The Fishing Wire

Joe’s Stone Crab: How a Weird Crab Built Miami’s Legendary Restaurant

April 27, 2016 — MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — It’s Friday afternoon at Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach, Florida, and lunch has gotten off to a rollicking start. Mario Batali’s expected in at any moment with a party of several dozen. The Alinea Group’s asked for even more seats to be reserved. Meanwhile, Martha Stewart’s just called in on her way from the airport, and may or may not need a relatively modest table of fewer than 20. And yet another celebrity chef, in the midst of a messy divorce, has called in his regrets and apologetically explained that it’s not a great time to claim his usual table. Meanwhile, the dining rooms are already booming with the laughter and clatter of Miami’s elite—federal judges, businessmen, doctors—chowing down on endless platters of Florida stone crabs with the requisite ramekins of Joe’s signature mustard-mayo sauce.

But Joe’s is like a massive iceberg, and the dining room is just what customers see on the surface. Behind the swinging doors, the sprawling kitchen has all the frenzied efficiency of a well-oiled machine, with cooks, servers, bussers, stockers, managers, and other staff pumping out a constant stream of stone crabs, fish, salads, sandwiches, and Key lime pies under the watchful eye of general manager Brian Johnson. The back rooms, which include its retail and distribution end, and storage and freezer rooms the size of full kitchens in most Manhattan restaurants—would alone cover much of an average city block.

Joe’s is an industry unto itself, turning seafood into hundreds of happy customers every day, and it’s all thanks to the humble Florida stone crab 103 years ago. That’s when Hungarian immigrant Joe Weiss opened up a beachside seafood shack, selling local fish and, eventually the odd-looking local stone crab that no one had really thought to try eating before. “We have a product that is unique and is indigenous to Florida, and that represents our brand by being sustainable,” says Steve Sawitz, Joe Weiss’s great-grandson and the current COO of Joe’s Stone Crab. “That, right along with the other million details gives you a good chance of staying open for a 100 years.”

“It’s Mother Nature’s perfect gift,” chef André Bienvenu says. “And the fact that the restaurant’s over 102 years old itself, proves to me the product continues to get better and better.”

They’re both talking about the special regenerative properties of the Florida stone crab and how it’s fished. The crustacean can regrow lost limbs over and over again. Crabbers twist off the claws and then throw the crab back in the ocean, where they can recover. Restaurants only serve the claws for customers to eat. That means that Joe’s regulars can be confident that they and their descendants will be eating that sugar-sweet, slightly briny stone crab meat for a long time to come. “We were green before going green was a thing,” general manager Johnson says.

Read the full story at Bon Appétit 

Lobster Poachers Caught and Vessel Forfeited in Biscayne National Park

April 25, 2016 — Biscayne National Park and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers conducted a safety and marine fisheries inspection on the commercial fishing vessel “El Donny.” The inspection ultimately resulted in filed charges, a plea agreement and sentencing.

During the inspection officers observed a lobster shell inside a crab trap, although the boat owner indicated that no lobsters were on the vessel. While inspecting the engine room, an officer noticed a white plastic bag hidden behind some engine equipment. This bag, along with four others that were discovered, included a total of 87 wrung lobster tails, 66 of which were undersized.

Read the full story at the South Dade News Leader

Lionfish Removal Effort Ramps Up: Florida Incentivizes Anglers to Help Target Invasive Species

April 22, 2016 — They’re the beauties with the beastly reputation—one so unwelcome that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has launched a new incentive program aimed at their eradication.

We’re talking about lionfish, those ornately designed invasives of aquarium origin that have overrun reefs throughout Florida’s coast. Exploding in numbers, lions compete with native species and upset local ecosystems.

You’d think that all the grouper, sharks, and barracuda would appreciate the additional forage, but lionfish pack a set of poisonous spines that warn would-be diners to back off.

So, that leaves humans to handle the task of eradicating these fish, or at least controlling their numbers. And that’s the idea behind the FWC’s 2016 lionfish removal program highlighted by a Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day on May 16.

Read the full story at Outdoor Life

Some Green Sea Turtles Can Now Wave Goodbye To Their Endangered Status

April 20, 2016 — Slow and steady won the race, at least for a few green sea turtles.

U.S. officials announced early this month that breeding populations in Florida and on the Pacific coast of Mexico are off the endangered list.

They will be re-classified as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, which means they are no longer immediately threatened by extinction but still merit protection under the act.

“It’s just like the manatees. Even though the turtles have been downgraded, it won’t affect them as far as enforcement goes,” FWC spokesman Bobby Dube told Florida Keys Keynoter.

Read the full story from the Huffington Post

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Approves Lionfish Removal Efforts

April 14, 2016 — At its April 13 meeting in Jupiter, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a two-part lionfish plan to further encourage removals of the invasive species in 2016.

Lionfish have a potential negative impact on native wildlife and habitat and the FWC encourages divers and anglers to remove them from Florida waters whenever they can.

The two-part initiative will include a statewide reward program that will expand upon 2015 efforts and a Panhandle Pilot Program.

“Innovative programs like these are a great way to generate public involvement and interest in controlling the lionfish population,” said FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski. “Those that remove lionfish not only get rewarded for their efforts, but they also get the experience of helping manage Florida’s fisheries. In addition, involving Florida’s residents and visitors helps us gather better data to continuously evaluate and improve our approach to invasive species control.”

See the full story at The Fishing Wire

Projections for red snapper season are in

April 14, 2016 — DESTIN, Fla. — Although the end date is still uncertain, the start of red snapper season is June 1.

“But good news is on the way,” said Capt. Gary Jarvis of the Back Down2 and president of the Destin Charter Boat Association.

Jarvis is anticipating a 50 day season for the charter for-hire boats in federal waters.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met last week in Texas to discuss catch limits, requirements and allocations of various fisheries – among them red snapper.

In recent years the red snapper fishery, which was deemed overfished by regulators, has started to rebound and this year anglers may get a few more days.

See the full story at Northwest Florida Daily News

Florida Gulf Red Snapper Season Set

April 14, 2016 — At its April 13 meeting in Jupiter, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the 2016 recreational red snapper season in Gulf of Mexico state waters.

The 2016 season will open Saturdays and Sundays in May starting May 7. On May 28, the season will open continuously through July 10. Finally, the season will reopen for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September and October, and on Labor Day. This would provide for a 78-day season in Gulf state waters.

This season will help maintain fishing opportunities for recreational anglers in state waters and provide additional May and fall weekend fishing days.

See the full story at The Fishing Wire