Fish and Wildlife officers found an excessive flounder haul after they boarded a Texas shrimpboat for a routine fisheries inspection. The boat, which was tied up to a Mayport dock, had eight bags of flounder in its hold totaling 364.4 pounds—more than seven times Florida’s allowable commercial 50-pound bycatch limit.
Officers cited vessel operator Isabel Sanchez for possession of more than 50 pounds of flounder bycatch—a second-degree misdemeanor that carries a $210 fine plus forfeiture of the catch. Officers did not count the number of fish, but said they averaged between one and two pounds.
We believe it’s time for state fisheries managers to reassess commercial flounder limits to help preserve stocks and protect the future of the species. Turn to the On the Conservation Front exposé “Foundering Flatfish Need Help” on page 78 in your November 2004 Florida Sportsman Magazine for more in-depth coverage of the needed revamping of Florida flounder laws.
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