Anticipating more hurricanes, commercial fishing interests want lobster season opened earlier this year, as early as July 10. Commercial lobster fishers complain that they suffered severe economic setbacks from last year’s storms. However, fisheries managers are concerned that by opening the season earlier than usual, they will impact future generations of lobsters.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) biologists, many lobsters are caught-and-released during the recreational mini-season, which occurs in late July, because they are still gravid (egg-bearing). Commercial fishers usually can’t set traps until August 1, a date by which most lobsters of reproductive size have finished their spawning business. But now the industry wants the commercial season opened before the recreational mini-season.

“The industry was hit really hard last year,” said one FWC official. “So, we’re concerned that the temptation to strip the eggs and harvest the gravid lobsters will be too great. If so, commercial lobster fishers could

really hurt themselves economically in the long run.”

Public hearings will be held in Tallahassee Thursday, April 6 at 8:30 A.M., at the Ramada Inn & Conference Center, 2900 North Monroe St. A final public hearing will held for the June 7-8 FWC commission meeting.

FS