No-Fishing Zone 'Spillover' Value Refuted
Tagging study proves more redfish entered areas than exited.

The case against no-fishing zones that would lock out family-level fishing along with large commercial catches seems to get stronger all the time and now new research by the state itself pokes gaping holes in one of the no-fishing gang's main claims.

As most folks are painfully aware, proponents of the no-fishing zones, called marine reserves, marine protected areas or another warm-and-fuzzy term, claim that the total no-take approach replenishes fish populations to spill over into adjacent waters.

However logical that might seem at first glance, the exact opposite is shown in research recently presented by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The state analyzed fish movements in the '90s in and out of the no-entry zones near the Kennedy Space Center, based on tagging studies. It turns out that more redfish moved into the security areas (called no-fishing zones by the proponents, though that had nothing to do with their establishment) than emigrated out.

A news release by the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida says the findings refute the theory of spillover benefits and make it clear once again that traditional fisheries management applied everywhere is a far better approach than arbitrary zones that ban personal-use angling even though it can be maintained on a carefully regulated basis.

Hurricanes Scare Off Anglers, Not Fish
Clearing water reveals redfish, trout.

Hurricanes traversing inshore waters around New Smyrna Beach apparently impacted the number of anglers more than the fish population.

Near-empty boat ramps are not an indication of a lack of fish. An angler fishing with Capt. Mike Hakala reported releasing plenty of early morning trout on topwater plugs and soft plastics around mullet schools congregated on points. Clearing skies and waters allowed sight-casting shots at approximately 50 slot redfish while poling along deeper shorelines and over grassflat potholes. A 6-pound flounder caught in eight inches of water on a jig was icing on the cake.

High-water conditions have the fish scattered over huge areas normally inaccessible to boats, so some hunting may be required to locate clean water and fish.

Daylight Savings Time ends next Sunday, October 31, and the next day, so does recreational red snapper fishing season in the Gulf of Mexico.

At 12:01 a.m., local time, November 1, the season will close to conform with federal regulations aimed at limiting annual sportfishing catches to 4.47 million pounds (roughly equal to commercial landings). The fishery will reopen April 21 with a 16-inch minimum size limit and a 4-fish bag limit that includes captain and crew of for-hire vessels.

In the mid ’90s, fisheries managers established the 24-hour commercial closure (from 6 a.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday) to both increase the number of shrimp that escaped the Bay, and to give the family-level shrimp dipper a chance to dip off bridges on weekend evenings without dealing with what was becoming a wingnetting boat circus on the waters of Biscayne Bay. In short, the situation had deteriorated to a point that family level shrimpers were being squeezed out.

Commercial wingnetters can still legally drag nets for shrimp 6 days a week, yet members of the Biscayne Bay Wingnet Shrimpers of Florida claim that the 24-hour weekend closure creates an economic hardship, and have petitioned the Commission to hear their case.

The commission encourages all interested parties to give their input at the workshop, scheduled Wednesday, Nov. 10 from noon until 2 p.m. at the Miami City Hall, Commission Chambers, 3500 Pan American Drive.

Bahamas Wahoo Championship Begins Soon
If you’ve tired of kingfish tournaments, how about trolling for wahoo in the Bahamas?

More and more Florida anglers are signing up for The Bahamas Wahoo Championship. This year’s series begins on Nov. 10 and has three separate “legs” to complete, each a month apart. Smaller boats are welcome, since wahoo are commonly caught close to the reefs. Faster, center console kingfish boats have increasingly done well here.

The defending champion this year will be Rebekka Lynn, a 36-footer that became the first center console to win the Championship. Angler Linda Thomas caught a number of wahoo, including a 94-pounder that was last year’s biggest fish.

The opening and closing legs are typically held at Port Lucaya Marina on Grand Bahama Island in November and February, while the middle leg is at Chub Cay in January. Competition is keen. Only a few points separated first- and second-place teams for the past three years.