Manatee Zones Approved for Tampa Bay
State gives disputed slow-zone exemption for commercial netters.

A string of manatee protection zones for Tampa Bay, including a controversial speed exemption for commercial netters, was approved Wednesday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The zones involving designated waters of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties provide for a mix of 25-mph corridors and off-plane areas that will cause boaters many hours of extra travel time, although the restrictions are far less than those requested by the Save the Manatee Club, which had claimed in lawsuits and publicity that manatee populations are plummeting.

A local review committee worked with the FWC to formulate the zones, but it was the FWC staff acting alone that injected into the rule an exemption allowing netters to exceed slow zones while deploying nets in some Manatee County waters.

The Coastal Conservation Association of Florida argued that the exemptions are completely inappropriate regarding the smaller seine nets now in use. The exemption will be used to ignore the slow zones, the CCA said, while typical citizens must putt off-plane.

The new rules cover zones for boaters in areas of Old Tampa Bay north of Courtney Campbell Causeway, the Apollo Beach area, Little Manatee River, the Port Manatee to Rattlesnake Key area, Lower Manatee River area, Upper Manatee River, Braden River and Anna Maria Sound.

"The exemption for netters came out of the blue from the state staff and is absurd," complained one outraged angler. "This just plays into the hands of net users who already flaunt the law by using multiple nets at a time as long as the nets are not quite touching."

Wader’s Warning
Beware: Portions of the Indian River are crawling with bacteria.

Anglers who normally step out of their boat to wade into fishy environs need to consider taking another tact—staying in the boat. Martin County health officials have found elevated counts of fecal coliform bacteria in the waterway. Tests indicate concentrations as high as 2,400 colonies per milliliter for fecal coliform and 124 colonies per milliliter for enterococci. State limits are 399 colonies for fecal coliform and 103 colonies for enterococci.

Wading in the filth with an open cut could lead to serious health complications. Martin County Health Department will continue to test the waters.

Fishing in Freezer Costly
Lead-munching, frozen bass costs angler tournament win.

Common-law cheating. Conjures up visions of romantic interludes of someone being unfaithful to a spouse who’s not quite a spouse. But toss a dead bass full of lead weights into the vision and somehow it loses some of the romance.

Two years after the 2002 Harris Chain Bassmasters Big Bass Tournament, Ronnie Lynn Robinson pleaded guilty to submitting a previously frozen 8-pound, 6-ounce bass—minus three 8-ounce lead weights—to collect the $1,915.20 first prize. Tournament director Darren Ratliff became just a little suspicious about the obese, heavy-metal bass when he filleted the catch following the tournament.

Robinson was stripped of the prize money, and will serve nine months of court supervision for the rare crime of common-law cheating, during which time he must stay clear of fishing tournaments.

Early Duck Season Wings into Florida
Waterfowlers get a warmup this weekend.

Starting a half-hour before sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 25, hunters have a chance to bag a few ducks during Florida’s five-day early waterfowl season. Only wood ducks and teal may be taken. The bag limit is four ducks, no more than two of which may be woodies. Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Only non-toxic, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-approved shot may be used.

During the five-day season, hunters may also take five Canada geese in Florida waters of Lake Seminole in Jackson County.

Rails and common moorhens are also legal game through November 9. Daily bag limit for king and clapper rails is 15; sora and Virginia rails, 25; and common moorhens, 15. Purple gallinules may not be taken.

The season runs until sundown on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Check the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations at myfwc.com/hunting.

Time Running Out for Quota Hunt Permits
It’s difficult to think about anything but hurricanes these days, but hunting season is almost here.

Hunting season is almost here, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) folks say time is running out for hunters to obtain those wildlife management area quota hunt permits.

Hunters who don’t have one should apply as soon as possible. Many people have been busy with hurricane matters, but you can still obtain an application form from tax collector offices, license agents and FWC offices.

And, as a reminder, hunters who have received their quota hunt permits are free to apply for additional permits, which often take little time.

The FWC uses this quota program to control and distribute hunting pressure on its 5-million acre Wildlife Management Area system. Most of Florida’s WMAs require the quota permit, in addition to a hunting license and possibly other permits, depending on what is being hunted.

In addition, special opportunity spring turkey permit applications are now being accepted, with a deadline of Oct. 15.