On February 3, Leon County Circuit Judge Janet E. Ferris ruled that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s regulations implementing the ban on gillnets “are a valid exercise of the Commission’s constitutionally delegated authority and that there is a rational basis for their provisions.”

This ruling is in reaction to a lawsuit filed by the Wakulla Commercial Fisherman’s Association to invalidate the measures that require seine nets to have a mesh size of 2 inches or less. The group was seeking to increase mesh size to 3 inches or greater, which would in essence make the gear into a gillnet. This is a repeated attempt by commercials to essentially legalize the use of gillnets in Florida waters.

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